Never Noticed
by SweetFaith06
Summary: COMPLETELY rewritten -- now complete: Willie Loomis has long desired Maggie Evans, yet when the moment presents itself, will he be able to win her affections? Of course, things are never as easy as they seem... Please R&R! Mature content
1. Rejected

**A/N:** This was my first ever attempt at a Dark Shadows fic, and since I could never look at this without shuddering, I just HAD to completely redo it. So now the characters are hopefully in-character, the sex won't be so lewd and tasteless, and the plot won't be so lame and predictable. Here's to correcting past mistakes!! lol

**CH 1: Rejected**

He had watched her from afar for many a year now, always looking, but never having. To Willie Loomis, this was the ultimate blow to the heart, yet he understood that a woman of Maggie Evans' stature would never give him the time of day even if he _was_ what the locals viewed as normal. Although they had grown considerably close over the past few months, he still feared that he would awaken one morning to discover that she detested him just like everyone else in Collinsport. After all, why would someone so warm and beautiful willingly be seen speaking to some crazed, neurotic oaf?

And to say that Maggie was beautiful was an understatement; Willie viewed her as the ultimate paradigm of traditional loveliness, what with her long, shiny auburn hair, rosy cheeks, and bewitching amber eyes. Every time she entered a room, Willie couldn't help but clam up or prattle on about absolute nonsense, either way leading to disaster since neither action lead to him basking within the warmth of her sweet, sheltering embrace. Not that he had ever been able to stay in her arms for very long, but those precious moments back in the Old House's cellar where she'd clung to him in fright had been absolute heaven for him.

Despite the mere fact that he was constantly saving her life, Willie was never rewarded with anything other than a simple 'thank you'; sometimes not even that. Regardless of this seemingly never-ending ingratitude, the servant was completely willing to stay by her side since he was as devoted to her as an artist to his canvas. Even if she never loved him, just being near her would be enough to satiate the burning longing within his heart. He was much too afraid to tell her that he cared far deeper than he'd ever before cared for an individual, but he decided that as long as she continued to be his friend, he would be content in suffering amidst his silence. Having Maggie as a friend, after all, was far better than not having her at all.

_"Willie?"_

He held his breath.

It was her...

Spinning clumsily about on his heel so that they were now face-to-face, Willie felt his bottom lip quiver upon the realization that she was wearing her hair up in a neatly done coiffure, a few stray ringlets caressing the collar of her dress and leading his eyes to drift down slightly lower. Swallowing, he greeted, "Uh…h-hi, Maggie. Nice day, uh?"

"What are you doing here at Collinwood?" she pried, completely ignoring his question as she gave him a naturally quizzical glance. "Are you by any chance waiting for Barnabas? I must speak with him right away."

Willie subconsciously clenched his fists. It was _always_ about Barnabas; he was the one Maggie truly wanted. Although he would always remain loyal to his old friend, he couldn't help but feel his stomach lurch at the very thought of them embracing or, even worse still, making love.

_"Well?"_ Maggie demanded, thus snapping him out of his miserable maelstrom of thoughts. "You never answered my question -- is Barnabas coming or not?"

Willie faltered, then anxiously shook his head. "N-no, Maggie, I-I came here ta see ya…b-by myself."

She smiled then, her lovely brown eyes twinkling with amusement as she nodded her head and held her notes from tutoring close to her bosom. As she did this, Willie couldn't help but admire the close-fitting, light pink button-up dress that currently adorned her shapely figure, his hands shaking as he suddenly broke out into a cold sweat.

Immediately noticing this, Maggie frowned in concern. "Willie" she uneasily began, "what's wrong? You look as if you could be sick at any moment!"

"Oh! Uh...n-nothin' Maggie" he recovered sheepishly, letting out an anxious laugh. "I, uh...just haven't gotten ta talk to ya in so dang long, a-and now that I am, I'm just all tongue-tied, I guess."

Maggie smiled. "Well I can assure you that there's no need -- would you like to take this conversation up to my room? I need to go up there to get something, anyway."

"Y-your _room?"_ Willie reiterated, by this point absolutely flustered.

"Oh, well if it's a problem...

"No!" he immediately interjected. "I-I mean...of _course_ not! I'd love to keep talkin' to ya!"

Maggie beamed. "Well, great! Come on up" she urged, her smile only widening in its intensity as she began to ascend the grand staircase one at a time in the foyer. Pausing to notice that the blonde was just standing there dumbly with his mouth slightly ajar, she gave a lilting laugh, then ushered him onward with her petite hand. "Willie, come _on!"_

His cheeks flushing a brilliant shade of scarlet, the servant nodded meekly, then, obedient as a puppy, he followed her on up the carpeted stairs and along the corridor for a little ways until they stopped before a tall, wooden door.

Twisting her key in the lock, Maggie opened it and clip-clopped across the threshold in her light pink high-heels, her bewitching smile only further reeling Willie in as she waved him on inside.

Grinning foolishly in spite of himself, the blonde followed her before tripping on the edge of the carpet and stumbling into Maggie's nightstand. Maggie tried her best to stifle her laughter at this, yet nonetheless managed to ask with a straight face if he was alright.

Absolutely mortified, Willie scratched the back of his neck as he shrugged his shoulders. He knew he must be blushing, but what was worse was the fact that he could never be the suave gentleman he wanted to be anytime she was in his presence.

Opening her mouth to speak, Maggie made the motion to strike up small talk when she noticed the slight amount of blood trickling down the servant's hand. "Oh!" she exclaimed, "Willie…you're _bleeding!"_

"Huh?" Glancing down at his hand, he was fairly surprised to discover that he'd nicked himself during his maladroit accident. Shrugging, he muttered dismissively, "Yeah, seems that way…a little spilt blood never killed anybody." Even as he said these words he couldn't help but shiver, brief images of the horrors he'd had to witness with Barnabas flitting across his vision like taunting phantasms.

Being the obstinate beauty that she was, Maggie took Willie by the wrist before calmly ordering, "Let me see it."

"No…I-I mean…"

"Willie, don't be ridiculous! Let me see it!"

Begrudgingly allowing her to examine the small wound, Willie felt a shiver run down his spine the moment Maggie's fingers delicately traced along the wound. "Well, it doesn't appear too deep" she decided after a moment's thought. "If you wait right here, I can go get you a bandage."

Before she could make another movement, Willie clasped his hand about hers amidst a newfound burst of courage, a tingle of excitement erupting deep within him once her dark, exotic eyes suddenly locked with his.

"Willie" Maggie gasped, her tone now soft and terribly inquisitive, "what are you...?"

Purposely ignoring her questions, Willie pulled Maggie in for a fierce and possessive embrace, his lips locking with her own in a passionate kiss that left his senses afire and initially longing for what was yet to come.

Surprisingly, Maggie allowed the kiss to consume and pull her under amidst its heated embrace, her thin wall of resistance crumbling, yet not nearly enough to prevent her from pulling away from Willie's arms, altogether.

"Willie" she breathlessly began, "I don't know what's come over you, b-but what we just did was wrong."

"But why, Maggie?" Willie demanded, pulling her dangerously close. "We've been becomin' pretty close lately, haven't we? I-I mean, maybe if you'd just give me a chance we could…"

"Willie, _stop_ it! You're not making any sense!" Maggie sharply interjected, her gaze fearful and full of bewilderment as she wriggled free of his pleading grasp. "I don't know what's come over you, but I'm beginning to think that you should leave!"

Finally losing his sudden sense of courage, Willie sighed, then raked his hand through his oily blonde hair before bowing his head. "I wouldn't hurtcha" he insisted in a defeated whisper. "Surely you know that, uh? I-I like ya a lot, and I could never hurt anybody I liked…"

"Willie...I'm sorry, but this just won't work" Maggie insisted more forcefully now, stepping up to him so that they were now eye-to-eye. "Whatever intentions you had prior to our meeting, I highly suggest that you end them now before it's too late."

Willie's face suddenly became as overcast and dreary as the gray sky. "S-sure thing, Maggie" he agreed, stuffing his hands into his pockets before giving a stiff nod. "I know that I'll always be second best ta Barnabas, so why even try, right?"

Maggie's cheeks reddened. _"Barnabas?_ Oh, Willie, you're _delusional!_ We're merely very good friends!"

"Sure...I can tell by all the goddamned hugs and meaningful conversations!" he snarled sourly in response, his eyes fiery and full of life once more. "I know that we're just friends, Maggie, but you never give _me_ any hugs or nothin'!"

Maggie burst into tears. "Willie you're _scaring_ me! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

The servant gave her a pained look, suddenly regretting having sounded like such a competitive jerk. "Aw, Maggie, don't cry…I-I didn't mean nothin' by that. I just wanted ya to know I…"

"Please" Maggie urged, "just _go."_

Willie nodded brokenly. "Yeah…sure, alright. Um…g-goodbye, Maggie." When she didn't dignify him with a response, he disconsolately turned on his heel and headed for the door.


	2. Butterflies

**A/N:** Fluff, ahoy! lol But I promise it's a "bearable" sort of fluff, so it's not like "omg, I've got to poke my eyes out and puke!" fluff. :) This chapter was originally a love scene, but I decided to postpone it since I just couldn't make it seem plausible for them to get down to the 'hibbity-jibbity' after such a short time of feeling connected. ::shrug:: It'll probably happen in the next chapter, though, since I am NOT well-known for being able to hold off on these sort of things, hehe. But anywhos, this is a completely new chapter, and the next one will be, as well (I mentioned earlier that this is a rewrite), so hopefully it's good… Enjoy! ;0D

**CH 2: Butterflies**

I'm sorry. That's all Willie truly wanted to say, but he knew that in the end it would do him no good. Maggie probably hated him, and for very good reason. He'd come on to her far too strongly, for one, and two, he had behaved like a belligerent ass.

Threading his fingers through his hair, Willie miserably slumped his shoulders forward and nursed his drink, his brooding gaze catching sight of the familiar figure coming toward him far too late.

"Hiya, cutie!"

Willie grimaced. He didn't feel like dealing with Bethany, the Blue Whale's newest (not to mention ditziest) waitress at the moment when he felt so…sober.

Disregarding the fact that Willie still had yet to give her a proper salutation, Bethany persisted, "Can I getcha something to go with that beer? Pretzels? Pistachios?" Giving him a mischievous look, she added coyly, "A _back rub,_ perhaps?"

Willie resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Bethany was a real cute little thing, what with her flaxen locks, baby blue eyes and curvy figure, but in the long run, he knew that cute alone just didn't cut it. Not when she had a mouth that could drive any man to taking his own life.

Leaning back in his seat, Willie glumly shook his head before muttering, "Nah, I don't need none a' that, but I guess ya could just get me a new beer."

Bethany gave him an all-knowing smirk. "Now, now, no need to ruin those wonderful lil' faculties of yours! After all, I've got a message to give ya from some gal named Maddie Evens, or something, and you can't very well go see her if you're drunk as a skunk!"

Willie nearly did a spit-take with his beer. "M-Maggie" he choked out, "Maggie _Evans_ wants ta see me? What for?"

"She didn't really say" Bethany admitted, "but if ya hurry, she said she'd be waiting at Collinwood. Oh! And did I tell you about the time when…?"

But Willie was already gone before her final statement, his heart hammering wildly within his chest as his mind whirled with the possibilities of what Maggie had to say to him.

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The moment Willie entered Collinwood, he found that he was extremely nervous. When he heard Maggie's voice beckoning to him from the drawing room, he uneasily crossed the threshold before finding the governess sitting in an almost expectant manner on the couch.

"Hi there" she greeted, her eyes giving off an almost tender gentleness that truly surprised her onlooker. "Can I get you anything?"

Willie hurriedly shook his head. "Nah…I-I mean, I already had somethin' before I came by, but I guess you already knew that since ya sent for me."

"I did" Maggie agreed, "but only because I wanted to talk to you about yesterday evening. Ever since then I've just felt _so_ awful for how I treated you when I _know_ that you were just trying to be friendly. I didn't need to take things as far as I did."

Willie stared at her in bewilderment. "Huh? Y-ya mean, you're not mad?"

"No" Maggie assured him, "not anymore, at least. I even figured that we could make this whole forgiveness thing more official by going out somewhere – I'll let you pick, of course."

Willie could hardly wrap his head around what was being said, his heart pounding hollowly within his bosom as he pointed a shaking finger towards his person. "You want me…ta go out with _you?"_ he squeaked, barely believing his own ears. When she nodded, he gushed, "Oh, w-well how 'bout you jus' swing on by the Old House instead, uh? I know that after bein' with Barnabas for so long I can finally cook, a-an' we can eat, an' talk, and…um…eat some more, I guess."

Maggie couldn't help but laugh at the servant's enthusiasm. "Oh, Willie, I'm _so_ glad you're not angry with me…dinner sounds lovely. I still have to grade David and Amy's history papers, but after I'm done I'll be sure to stop by." Now rising so that she was gazing into his eyes, she added. "Thank you so much for understanding – I'm real lucky to have a friend like you."

When Maggie embraced him, Willie didn't feel the warmth and love he thought he would. Being referred to as a 'friend', after all, made him realize more than ever that tonight wouldn't be a date, but a friendly little get-together.

With this thought weighing heavily within his mind, Willie gave Maggie a polite nod of the head as his goodbye before departing in order to prepare for his 'non-date'.

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When Willie opened the door to receive his caller, he couldn't help but take a small step back, his mouth falling slightly agape the moment he took in the beauty that was otherwise known as Maggie Evans. The lacy red dress that adorned her figure was distractingly snug, not to mention sinfully short for a woman of her pure stature. In the long run, however, Willie found that he didn't mind in the slightest.

Breaking out into a cold sweat, he squeaked, "Uh…h-hi. Didja wanna eat soon, or…or……_eat?"_

Maggie laughed, only to immediately apologize, "Sorry I'm so late, but Carolyn was riffling through her dresses for something nice for me to wear. I insisted that this wasn't a date, but you know how she is." Noticing Willie's apron, she teased, "Why don't you take that off and stay a while? Unless, of course, you're planning on using that as a giant bib?"

Blushing at her good-natured jesting, Willie muttered something about being forgetful as he removed his apron and draped it over the back of a chair. Now turning to face her he asked, "Y-ya want some brandy, or somethin'? Barnabas ain't too keen on drinks, so I'm afraid that that's all we've got in the alcoholic department."

"Brandy will be fine" Maggie assured him, smiling to herself as she turned and surveyed the room. "Wow, you really fixed this place up nice! It's too bad you don't have a girlfriend, Willie, because you sure know how to create the perfect atmosphere."

Willie's cheeks burned at her remark. "W-well, women don't really seem ta like me…i-in fact, you're the only one who'll go anywhere near me in public."

Maggie appeared to be rather surprised by this confession, her eyes softening as she apologized, "I'm sorry, I should never have said anything… I never _was_ too good with subtle conversation." Suddenly smiling, she flopped down into one of the overstuffed chairs before declaring, "Which is exactly why I've decided that tonight I'm going to mend my ways and learn as much about you as possible. You're a very quiet man, Willie, and it just so happens that I take a certain enjoyment in coaxing people out of their shells."

Willie began to noticeably shake as he poured her glass of brandy. "Oh, w-well, th-there ain't nothin' worth talkin' about me, Maggie… I-I've lived a pretty boring life."

"Yeah, right" Maggie scoffed. "That whole thing with Jason McGuire always struck me as being gossip-worthy."

"I don't wanna talk about that."

"Well why not?"

"Because I don't _want_ to, _alright!?"_ Willie snapped, the remembrance of how he'd been forced to bury his friend roiling within his gut like poison. When Maggie remained silent, he ruefully shook his head before apologizing, "I'm real sorry, Maggie, but that's just a chapter a' my life that I'd rather keep closed, ya know? The memories of what I've done ta people – ta _you –_ are just way too painful."

Maggie smiled sadly. "Well, it looks like I did it, again – I have the _worst_ skills when it comes to cheering you up!"

"Nah…" Willie mirrored her soft smile before insisting, "It didn't hurt me none – I guess you could always just ask another question."

"Ah! Right!" Maggie agreed, now smiling mischievously as he handed her the requested brandy. After she'd taken a small sip, she propped her chin on her fist before sustaining, "If you could have anything in the world – _anything_ at all – what would it be, and why?"

Willie groaned. "Aw, Maggie, that's _so_…"

"Ah, ah, ah! You pretty much sold your soul the moment you let me enter this house, so answer away!" Maggie urged, laughing at the exasperated look on his face as she took yet another sip of brandy.

Sighing, Willie uncomfortably shifted from one foot to the other before mumbling, "Aw, I dunno…I-I guess I'd wanna leave this place and never come back, or somethin'."

"Well _that's_ boring" Maggie remarked with a small smirk. "Do you honestly mean to tell me that you have no aspirations or dreams?"

"W-well, I…"

"And does that also mean that you don't want a wife or kids? I mean, c'mon, you _have_ to admit that the prospect of little Willies running around is very charming!" Maggie teased.

Willie, in spite of his nonchalant demeanor, was growing very discomforted by the subject at hand. Hurriedly shaking his head, he shyly admitted, "N-n-no, I-I could never be a father _or_ a husband c-cuz I just don't got the people skills, I guess."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous! You're talking to me right now, aren't you?" When the servant shrugged, Maggie insisted, "There, you see? And believe it or not, Willie Loomis, it takes a _lot_ to get on my good side, so consider yourself blessed. You're a _good_ person, and I know for a God-given fact that one day the gauze will be lifted from some lucky woman's eyes, and she'll find what she's been missing all these years."

Willie's gaze couldn't help but soften. "Yeah? Y-ya really mean all that, Maggie?" When she nodded, he suddenly asked, "Well what about you, then? I had ta answer that doofy question, so now you should, too."

Maggie smirked. "Well, unlike _you,_ Willie, I really _do_ have a boring life, so that means my wildest dreams are pretty boring, too."

"Try me" Willie urged, a hint of playfulness reflecting within his eyes as he took a seat across from her. "What is it thatcha just can't live without?"

Now appearing to be rather sheepish, Maggie shook her head before admitting, "It's stupid, really, but all I _truly_ want in this world is to find someone who understands me…someone who'll love and appreciate me for who I _am_ and not just for what I look like. It's really hard, Willie, and I'm beginning to think that no such man exists."

"Why?" the servant asked, genuinely confused. "I don't understand how someone could just like ya for your face, cuz even though you're real beautiful an' all, you're so much more than that, Maggie. I-I admire ya cuz you're all smart an' iron-willed, a-an' ya got that lil' secret you don't want nobody ta know cuz you think bein' a bookworm's bad – which it's _not _– and…well…I dunno. You're just a real swell person, Maggie, a-an' I know you'll find someone, cuz when you've got so much goin' for ya, someone's bound ta notice."

Maggie looked up into his eyes with a true sense of gratitude, her voice quivering ever-so-slightly as she joked, "I-I'm sorry…have we met before?"

"We have" Willie acknowledged, "but I'm really hopin' that won't influence whatcha think about me."

"It hasn't" Maggie assured him, smiling as she shook her head in amusement. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I was wrong about you. I always got the distinct impression that you were rude and incredibly odd, but you're not…in fact, you're just like me and everyone _else_ in this Godforsaken town. I can't believe that it actually took me until tonight to realize that." Laughing, she added, "Wow, I almost feel as if I'm in a confessional booth…you're not actually a priest, are you?"

Willie chuckled before rising from his chair. "Nah, I don't think so…if I were, I'd seriously hafta question the clergy's sense a' good judgement." Holding out his hand for her to take, he added, "Dinner's ready – I heard the timer go off, so if you'll just wait here an' make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back."

Accepting his outstretched hand, Maggie rose from her perch as she watched him egress the drawing room, her fingers still tingling slightly from where they'd been so reverently touched.

After a few minutes, Willie finally returned, a sheepish look crossing his features as he apologized, "I-I'm awful sorry an' all, but I needed ta put the food back in for another ten minutes. You ok with that?"

"Well do I really have a choice?" Maggie teased while folding her arms. When Willie shyly lowered his gaze she warmly assured him, "Ten minutes will be _fine,_ Willie – you really should just relax. I'm not expecting the world of you, or anything, because all I truly want is to get to know you better."

Willie couldn't help but smirk. "A-and am I as crazy as the locals say? Or, even worse still, boring?"

"Why, not at all! In fact, you're probably one of the most interesting people I've ever met" Maggie admitted, a warm twinkle coming to her eyes as she folded her hands and smiled. "I'm really glad we're friends, Willie – I haven't found anyone I could talk to like this for _so_ long… In fact, it's almost as if I can tell you anything."

"Me, too" Willie gushed. "I-I mean, I don't talk ta myself about anything cuz that'd be weird, b-but ta you."

Maggie laughed. "Now what did I just tell you about relaxing? To my knowledge I don't bite, so really, there's no need to be so nervous!"

"I-I ain't nervous!" Willie anxiously defended, "I-I just stutter a lot w-when I'm around certain people, a-and I…um…"

Smiling, Maggie moved to tease him further when a great pounding sounded against the roof like that of a thousand needles falling against a firm surface. Her eyes alight with excitement, she turned toward the servant before exclaiming, "It's raining, Willie – quick, let's go outside!"

Willie appeared to be considerably taken aback by her request. "W-_what?_ Now Maggie, it ain't too safe ta go prancin' around in the rain, a-and you could…"

"Oh, nonsense! A little rain never hurt anybody – come _on!"_ the governess urged, her small hands now encircling Willie's wrist as she gave him a persistent tug. When he reluctantly submitted, she cheerily called over her shoulder, "I'm about to introduce you to an old Collinsport tradition, so I hope you can handle it!"

"If it requires not gettin' wet, then sure" Willie muttered, wincing once Maggie stubbornly pulled him outside and into the rain. Shivering, he watched on as the governess lifted her arms up towards the heavens, his right eyebrow quirking as he demanded, "Well what on earth are ya doin', uh? This don't seem like much of a tradition ta me…"

Turning to give him a wry smile, Maggie shyly admitted, "Alright, so it's _not_ a well-known tradition, but my mother taught it to me when I was a little girl, and…well…I-I guess I just wanted to share it with someone."

Despite the freezing chill from the rain, Willie's gaze couldn't help but soften. "Yeah? Well what is it, then?"

Now it was Maggie's turn for her gaze to soften, her arms coming to rest across her bosom as she urged, "Now don't laugh, but when I was about six years old, my mother always told me that the rain was actually a mixture of God and angel tears. She said that all of the world's pain and suffering would build up within their hearts until they couldn't take it anymore, and then they'd just cry and cry until everyone was happy, again. Even though prosperity would once more be restored, those who actually drank the tears would be blessed with good luck for seven whole years." Lifting her gaze up to the heavens, Maggie sustained, "So now that you've heard that little spiel, I suppose you think I'm crazy and won't even humor my silly little tradition. I know you probably think I'm odd for behaving this way, but I feel really close to my mother when I do this… I hope I haven't angered you by dragging you out here in this freezing rain."

Willie smiled before turning his attention up toward the gray skies, his hand coming up in order to catch the tiny droplets as he softly argued, "Nah… I used ta do some pretty weird things as a kid, too. I-I mean! Well…y-your thing ain't as weird as ya think, cuz I used ta sit up in the ol' oak tree in my backyard an' pray that angels'd come an' take me away. I did that every damn day, but my prayers were never answered cuz I still had ta live in the biggest Hell on earth – i-it was even worse than…" He faltered.

"Even worse than what?" Maggie pressed, her eyes appearing to be warm and concerned within the dim lighting of the sky.

Willie slowly shook his head, truly not wanting to remember his childhood and how his parents didn't love him. And now, even worse still, he knew that Maggie didn't love him, either…

Pushing that painful thought to the back of his mind, the servant turned to Maggie before asking, "How do I catch this rain, anyway? I think I'd look awful stupid with my mouth hangin' open, so I'm pretty much hopin' that there's another way."

Maggie smirked before insisting, "Sorry, bub, but you're not about to cheat and catch handfuls – if I have to catch the rain with my mouth, you're darn well going to do it, too!"

Willie grimaced. "Aw, but I feel so stupid…"

"Oh, c'mon! Do this with me" Maggie urged, now holding out her hand for him to take.

When Willie accepted her hand and curled his fingers about her own, a sweet warmth erupted deep within him and set his soul afire. Maggie Evans did something to him that no other woman had ever been able to – something that caused him to fall apart and reassemble in completion at the same instant. When he was with her, nothing else ever seemed to matter, because when they were together, he could finally be himself. She was his only anchor in the Godforsaken town they resided, and he'd be damned if he lost her.

Now raising his gaze up toward the sky, Willie relished in the coolness of the rain against his face and tongue as Maggie continued to instruct him on what to do. The longer they stood there, the more he felt her hand tighten about his own in a fond squeeze, his eyes suddenly drifting over toward her lissome form in order to discover that she was looking at him, as well.

"Do you feel any luckier, yet?" Maggie asked, a soft smile coming to her lips.

"I dunno" Willie admitted, "but I guess I must be since you're here, and…I-I mean! Sorry, I-I shouldn'a said that…"

Maggie slowly shook her head. "No" she urged, "don't say you're sorry, Willie – I'm glad I'm here, too." Lighting touching his cheek, the governess tucked her head beneath his chin before embracing him about the middle, her eyes closing as tears began to form along her lashes. Sniffling, she praised in a grateful whisper, "Thank you, Willie… Thank you _so_ much…"

"For what?" he demanded, genuinely confused. "I didn't do nothin', ta my knowledge…"

"Maybe not from a normal person's point of view" Maggie agreed, "but to me, I'm eternally grateful. You see, I've never told anyone about my tradition before, and…well…you didn't laugh at my childishness. That really meant a lot to me."

Willie gave her a sad smile. "Well I never told anyone about mine before, either…guess I just feel like I can trust ya, or somethin'."

Maggie mirrored his smile, a distinct shiver running down her spine the moment the servant touched her face and lightly brushed away at the offending tears.

"Please don't cry" he begged. "I can't stand ta see people cry…"

_'Especially you'_ he thought, subconsciously shaking his head. Her tears from back when she was Barnabas' prisoner still haunted his dreams even to this day, so the very sight of them running down her cheeks put him at a terrible sense of unease.

Maggie, however, didn't even seem to take notice of his distress, her hand coming up in order to interlace with his as she leaned against the firmness of his chest and placed her forehead against his.

Their sudden nearness sent Willie's soul careening into a fiery plane of sheer bliss, his eyes meeting questioningly with hers as she placed hesitant fingertips against his cheek and leaned in with the timidity of a schoolgirl.

The moment Maggie's plush lips touched his, Willie couldn't help but lose himself amidst her delicate warmth and softness. The pounding of his heart was enough to drown out any rational thought, yet any of Maggie's administrations were far more distracting.

Linking her arms tentatively about Willie's neck, Maggie deepened the kiss by leaning further into his sheltering embrace, her tongue lightly caressing his own as she felt his hands shakily making their way down to just above her derriere. When Maggie's fingers beginning to unfasten the buttons to his shirt, however, the servant regrettably held her out at arm's length before shaking his head.

"I-I'm sorry, Maggie, b-but I can't…"

"Why not?" she demanded, genuinely confused. "I thought you liked me…"

Willie winced, his features contorting into a look of sadness as he mumbled an apology and began briskly heading back for the door. He couldn't face her – not when she looked so damn beautiful and miserable all at once.

Maggie, however, was far from finished with him. "Willie, wait!" she pleaded, now racing after him through the slippery grass. "What did I do to upset you like this? I just don't understand…"

"You don't want me – not really, anyway" Willie grumpily accused. "This is the first time you've ever even given me the time a' day, so what makes tonight so damn special?"

Maggie felt tears burning along her lashes as she hotly insisted, "I don't know, Willie, I really don't, but what I _do_ know is that you're the first person I've been able to talk to in a _long_ time, and…well…I like you. I like you a lot."

"Don't like me" Willie pleaded, "especially not when it's like this…"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know" the servant wearily admitted, "but you're not just some girl ta me, Maggie. You don't know how many times I've met some broad I didn't like, but screwed, anyway." He sighed. "Look, I'm real sorry, but I just couldn't stand ta hurtcha like all those nameless women – just do yourself a favor and get outta here while ya still can."

"Is that what you really want?" Maggie stubbornly pressed. "Because if it is, I'll go, but if not…" Here she lightly brushed her thumb across his lips, her eyes both gentle and pleading as she sustained, "If not, I'm completely willing to stay for as long as you need me."

Willie reached up and grasped at her hand before pressing it to his lips, his voice quivering as he inquired, "Maggie, d-do ya even know what you're suggestin'? Come on, now, this is insane…"

Now it was Maggie's turn to appear apprehensive. "I think I do" she admitted. "I-I mean, I've never felt quite like this before, so surely that means…"

"No" Willie argued, "I don't wanna do nothin' when you're not even sure."

"But I _am_ sure!" she stubbornly argued. "You're the only person who's ever truly understood me for who I am, and now that I've discovered that, Collinsport doesn't even seem like that bad of a place to live… Not anymore, at least."

Willie felt his heart ache at her words, for no woman had ever been able to touch his soul quite like she did. The way things were going, he knew that he would end up giving in to her unspeakable request, and in so doing he'd only fall for her all the more strongly. This, of all things was what frightened him the most. With a miserable shake of the head, he apologized, "I-I'm real sorry, Maggie, b-b-but I can't, a-and Barnabas will be home soon, so maybe…I mean…"

"You want me to leave" Maggie bitterly supplied, her head bowing as she shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, fine – I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Willie… It was very wrong of me to do what I did, so I'm hoping that someday you'll be able to forgive me."

Willie inwardly groaned. Didn't she _understand?_ He wanted her more than anything in the world, but he wasn't good enough for her – he _knew_ he wasn't.

Turning back toward the interior of the house, the servant gave a dejected farewell, his insides screaming as he listened to the sound of Maggie's soft footfalls gradually taking her away from him, once again.


	3. Selfish Desires

**CH 3: Selfish Desires**

"Trust me, you'll _love_ it!"

"I don't know, Carolyn – are you _sure_ we aren't trespassing?" Maggie questioned, her gaze warily surveying the wooded area as she continued to tote their belongings.

Carolyn rolled her eyes at her friend's apprehensiveness, yet she still managed to give her a bright smile as she returned, "Well how on earth could we be trespassing when the waterhole's on _our_ property? Cousin Barnabas may own this portion of the grounds at the moment, but remember that we were the ones who initially had possession of everything you see here."

"Then you went swimming here often?" Maggie asked, still rather unconvinced.

"Well, of course! Cousin David and I would come by here a whole lot, not to mention a few of my beaus." Giving her friend a mischievous smirk, Carolyn placed their cooler down in between a couple large rocks before turning in order to remove her dress. Turning toward Maggie she asked, "Well are you going to continue being shy, or are you going to jump in with me? We didn't go bathing suit shopping today for nothing, you know – I want to see how you look!"

"Not nearly as cute as you" Maggie assured her, inwardly feeling that the blonde's vibrant pink two-piece was a little _too_ vibrant.

Carolyn gave her a coy look before teasing, "What, are you afraid to take off your dress because _Willie Loomis_ might be skulking around? When you came back early from your date, I figured things didn't go too well."

Maggie's cheeks burned in indignation. "I told you that it wasn't a date, Carolyn, and even if it _were,_ I would've ended it early, anyway, since it was raining."

"Aw, so no bedroom talk?" Carolyn asked, clearly disappointed. "I've always wondered what it'd be like to bed a nutball – I bet they'd be really exciting and creative!"

"Carolyn!" Maggie exclaimed, absolutely horrified, "Willie isn't crazy at all! Everyone's got him pegged all wrong, even _me,_ but I'm hoping to change that."

"Oh, so you like him."

"What? _No!"_

"Yes, you do!" Carolyn argued childishly. "Why _else_ would you be all moony over the prospect of getting to know some nutty servant? I don't see anything redeeming about him at all, save for the fact that I've heard he was _quite_ the expert at the mattress mambo back in his day."

"Ugh, is that all you think about?" Maggie demanded, crossly folding her arms as she shook her head. "I wouldn't care if he were the worst lover in the world! I want to get to know the _man,_ not his ability to…to…"

Carolyn laughed. "Oh, Maggie, it's _so_ sad how stubbornly romantic you are – what's so fascinating to you about Willie, anyway?"

"I don't know" Maggie admitted rather shyly, "but I felt more connected with him than anyone I've ever talked to in a long time, and I'm very interested in seeing if we share anything else in common than what I've already discovered."

Smirking, Carolyn plopped down in the grass alongside her before she asked, "So did you kiss him, then? I find that the quickest way to a man's heart is through his mouth – if you give him food or kisses, you're all set."

Maggie felt her cheeks grow hot, yet she said nothing.

"Oh! So you _did!"_

"W-_what?_ No!"

"Then he kissed you?"

"NO!"

Smothering a giggle, Carolyn shook her head before insisting, "I think you're lying to me, Miss Pious, and it's all because of that delightful blush on your cheeks! Really, now, it's ok to have lost your head for just a little bit – was he really so great of a kisser that you had to lie?"

Frowning, Maggie muttered something about being ready for a swim, her lips setting into a grim line of determination as she rose from her perch and removed her blue Ohrbach's original.

"Aww, you look _so_ cute!" Carolyn cooed, cheerily standing in order to join her. "I usually dislike one-pieces, but it suits you so well!"

"Thanks" Maggie mumbled, shyly glancing down at the bathing suit that had caught her fancy in the shop. As soon as she had seen it with its white base and small red polka dots, she just knew that she had to have it. Although she rarely swam, Carolyn had insisted how that was something that would have to be amended, and the way things were going, Maggie felt that the only thing that needed amending was the heiress' insistence on discussing Willie. She didn't know why the subject made her so uncomfortable, but it did.

"Hey! Who's down there!?"

Both women looked up the hill with a start, the lovelier of the two paling upon realizing who it was.

Noticing Maggie's expression, Carolyn slyly called up, "Well it's just Carolyn and Maggie, Willie! You can come on down here if you think I'm lying!"

Cautiously descending the mound of earth, the servant trained wary eyes upon them before asking, "What're you two doin' here, uh? Don'tcha know that it ain't safe ta be wanderin' around on this property? There're snakes an' stuff."

"Do tell" Carolyn returned with a mocking yawn. "Honestly, Willie, I think we can handle ourselves – don't you think we're old enough to tell when we're in danger? It's been quite a while since I've been seduced by candy from big, scary men, after all."

Willie gave her a sheepish look before dropping his gaze to the ground. "Yeah, I guess…"

Maggie shot Carolyn a disapproving glare before asking him, "What are you doing out here at nine in the morning, Willie? Don't you ever get to rest up since Barnabas is always at Bangor during the day?"

Willie chuckled bitterly. "Rest? _Me?_ No, no, too much ta be done – in fact, one a' my chores was ta ask ya if you'd come ta dinner tomorrow, Maggie. B-Barnabas is real keen on seein' ya since he says it's been too long."

"Oh! Well you can tell him that I accept" Maggie returned, smiling up at him as he noticeably swallowed.

"Yeah? W-well, ok, then – r-real nice seein' you two… Buh-bye."

As Willie turned to scurry back up the hill, Carolyn twisted toward Maggie before whispering, "He sure is weird – are you sure you saw in him what you _think_ you saw in him?"

Never taking her eyes off of the servant's retreating form, Maggie returned softly, "Yes…yes, I am."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Despite her better judgment, Maggie had decided on taking a walk over to the Old House. She hadn't told Carolyn since she knew that she'd be teased about Willie, but perhaps she was only afraid of facing the truth. After all, why on earth should she shy away from sharing her newfound friendship with her other friends? There was nothing to hide, so why did the very idea make her quiver with unease?

Snorting at the absurdity of her own thoughts, Maggie continued her trek until the large home came looming before her in all its brilliance, a small smile forming across her lips as she admired it for all its beauty and opulence. No sooner had she begun her admiration then a loud _hack-hacking_ noise sounded from out back, the governess' brows drawing inward amidst her curiosity as she decided to go investigate.

Carefully peering around the back of the house, Maggie gave a slight start over seeing movement by the trees. There, naked from the waist up was Willie, his brows knitted in concentration as he continued to strike at the logs at his feet. No doubt he was preparing kindling for Barnabas' evening fires, but it had been such an unbearably hot week! As if reaffirming this fact, several beads of perspiration trickled down the servant's sun-kissed face, a few choice words escaping his lips when one of the logs broke in the wrong fashion. Kicking it off to the side, Willie continued his coarse grumbling as he hitched up his sagging breeches and bent over in order to retrieve a new log.

Maggie wasn't sure why, but she was suddenly overcome by a massive wave of embarrassment over the realization that she was spying on him. True, Willie was only bare-waisted, but she still felt as if she were impinging on his privacy.

_'Don't be silly'_ the governess irritably scolded herself. _'Carolyn is right to always call me a prudish virgin – I need to stop being so unsociable and say hello!'_

With this thought as her main incentive, Maggie slowly stepped out from behind her hiding place, her resolve gradually beginning to wane once she was greeted once more by Willie's incessant chopping.

"Um…hello?" she ventured, yet far softer than she had originally intended. When Willie gave no indication of having heard her, she tried again, only much louder this time, _"Hello?"_

With a start, Willie dropped the axe he'd been wielding, his curious blue-gray eyes straying over toward Maggie before he broke out into an unexpected grin. "Oh! Well hey there, Maggie, I-I didn't even see ya there! Ya forget that the dinner ain't til tomorrow, or somethin'?"

"No, I actually came here to see you" Maggie admitted, her gaze dropping down shyly to the grass as she felt him staring at her in wonder. "You see, I-I wanted to apologize for yesterday evening."

"Well how come?" Willie wanted to know. "I thought we had ourselves a pretty nice time."

Maggie gave him a reproachful look. "You know exactly what I mean by all that, Willie – I made you uncomfortable, and for that I'm sorry."

Willie snorted, now picking the axe back up before tearing into the woodpile yet again. All the while he was irritably shaking his head, yet he was intent on saying nothing.

Furious, Maggie demanded, "Why are you ignoring me like this, Willie? I just wanted to make amends so that we could be friends, again!"

"Oh, yeah?" Willie finally stopped, his eyes narrowing as he returned coolly, "Well 'friends' don't really seem like the right word ta be usin', especially not after that lil' stunt ya pulled last night."

Hurt, Maggie softly insisted, "I couldn't help it, Willie – I've already told you how you make me feel different, and I suppose I was just trying to understand why." Now bowing her head, she added lowly, "I don't get why you're being so cruel to me – I suppose I was dreadfully wrong in thinking that I could ever possibly have feelings for a simple, air-headed servant like _you!"_

A fury unlike any other suffused itself across Willie's otherwise indifferent features, his voice low and gruff as he growled out, "I ain't simple! Even though I ain't got the brains that any a' your other hoity-toity men've had, I at least try ta take care a' ya, Maggie!" Wincing, he realized that he shouldn't have said that, his eyes hardening as he quickly added, "I guess ya really _are_ just like everyone else in this goddamn town – why don'tcha do yourself a favor an' leave before you're seen with such a _simple_ an' _air-headed_ servant like me."

Maggie gave him a pained look, tears forming along her lashes as she whispered, "I didn't mean it, Willie…_honest,_ I didn't."

"Don't you be thinkin' that those tears'll work on me, cuz they won't" he grumbled, now regarding her with sheer disdain as he turned back to his task at hand. Giving her a brief glance over the shoulder, he added, "Now if you'll excuse me, I got some firewood that needs ta be chopped."

Willie's strokes were much faster and fiercer this time around, his pain and anger over Maggie's stinging words lying like a deadweight within the pit of his stomach.

_'Who the hell does she think she is? She don't know nothin' 'bout me'_ he thought. _'Nothin'!'_

As if trying to appease his heated thoughts, Willie stiffened when he felt a small and gentle hand rest against the perspiring expanse of his back, a low shudder escaping his throat the moment a pair of lips tenderly brushed against the nape of his neck.

"I'm sorry" he heard Maggie whisper, "honest, I am…"

Slowly turning to face her, Willie tried to withhold the licentious sheen that had come to his eyes, his tone lower than ever as he returned, "You did this yesterday, Maggie, an' it was hard enough ta turn ya away, then. I'm tellin' ya now so you can still escape that I may not be able ta help myself, today."

Maggie looked up at him in breathless excitement, her lower extremities tingling with a longing that both frightened and thrilled her at the same time. What was it about this man that made her so intrigued? So vulnerable?

With a boldness that would have made the prudish side of Maggie Evans cringe, she told him truthfully, "I hope you won't."

Willie appeared to be considerably taken aback by her response, his hands shaking at his sides as he stammered, "I…w-_what?"_

"I hope you won't be able to help yourself" Maggie explained, her own inner feelings causing her to feel just as surprised as the servant. What had come over her? She normally didn't behave this way with men at _all!_ In fact, all of her past relationships had been rather dull since she'd just sit around with them and discuss rather trivial things, but this… She held her breath. _This_ truly excited her and evoked an inner passion that had been lying dormant, forever waiting for the one soul who could possibly bring her to her knees. At last she had found him, and now that she had, she realized that she was no longer afraid.

When Maggie reached out to him, Willie surprised himself by taking a small step back. "Don't" he urged, yet his voice lacked all conviction. "I-I-I really don't think this is a good idea…"

"But why?" Maggie demanded, her heart dropping once she realized that it was all just like yesterday evening. "How many times do I have to tell you that I like you, Willie? I like you a lot."

The servant snorted. "Yeah? Well likin' ain't enough, Maggie – not for what you're so set on doin', anyway."

Maggie pulled apart from him as if she'd been burned, his words searing deep within her heart like poison as she choked out, "So, y-you think I'm easy, then? Because I'm _not!"_

"I never said…"

"You didn't have to – I can see it on your face!" Maggie exclaimed, the pain evident within her voice as she sorrowfully shook her head. "I know you don't think much of what I'm doing, but if you really must know, you're the first person that I've ever behaved this way with before – the first person I've ever felt so connected with. I don't know why I'm feeling this way, but surely you feel something, too?"

Willie swallowed upon hearing her words, his limbs trembling as she continued to gaze up at him with her pleading eyes. He cared about her more than anything in the world – by God, he _did!_ – but just the thought of how dangerous their involvement could be for her made him put his emotions on hold. With a regretful look in his eyes, he mournfully insisted, "I can't, Maggie, I just…can't."

"Then why did you ever come to me in the first place?" she demanded haughtily. "Why even bother telling me that you cared when you were just going to end up pulling away?"

"Maggie…" Willie faltered, his eyes burning with unshed tears as he stubbornly shook his head. If he gave in and blanketed her with his body as he desired, he knew that that would be the end of him, for he'd never want to let her go. As long as the void of uncertainty remained between them, Maggie would be free of the terrors that he was forced to live from day to day. If they actually _were_ to become involved, then that would mean…

Willie swallowed. By God, he'd give anything to be able to start over and make a new life with Maggie, but he couldn't. He was forever doomed to live the life of a servant, and it was this very thought that caused him to turn about on his heel and storm back into the house.

Stunned, Maggie stubbornly followed after Willie's sullen form, her voice now rising in anger as she demanded, "Where do you think you're going, Willie Loomis?! I asked you a simple question, yet you won't even give me the common courtesy of answering it! What could you possibly be so afraid of?"

Infuriated that she was able to read him so well, Willie paused before the foot of the staircase and hunched his shoulders. "Leave me alone" he pleaded, his eyes soulless and full of defeat. "If ya get involved with me in any way, lemme jus' warn ya now that you're gonna regret it."

"I'm willing to take that chance" Maggie assured him, her hand gingerly touching his arm with the hopes that he would finally face her.

"The townsfolk'll talk" Willie persisted, still trying to push her away.

"Do you think I actually care about them!?" Maggie demanded, now forcing him around so that they were finally gazing eye-to-eye. "Why won't you just confide in me like you did yesterday evening? I can tell something's wrong, and I want to help you."

"Maggie…"

_"Please"_ she urged, her hand now reaching up in order to touch his cheek. "I know that this must be confusing for you, because it is for me, too! I don't remember the last time I was able to feel so close to someone after so little time, and that's what frightens me, Willie – it _frightens_ me!"

Willie sadly shook his head. "Just go, Maggie……_please."_

Gazing up at him as if she'd been mortally wounded, Maggie gave him a look of disbelief as she slowly backed away. "You want me to leave?" she asked, her anger only rising along with the volume of her voice. "Well, _fine! _I'll go, but don't think that I'll ever want to see you, again after this!"

Maggie's scathing words were like dull knives cutting into Willie's heart, his being shaking along with the love and anger that was beginning to mix and mingle within his bloodstream like poison. Goddammit, he was tired of having no one to love – why couldn't he just be selfish for once in his life and take what he truly wanted?

With this thought raging powerfully within his mind, Willie seized Maggie's retreating form by the arm and yanked her possessively back into his arms. Releasing a delicate whimper, Maggie melted into his embrace the moment he crushed his lips hungrily against her own, his hands now cupping her bottom as he hefted her up into his arms and began staggering with her up the stairs.

Giving a defeated gasp, Maggie felt all of her prior outrage dissipating into absolute nothingness, her hands coming up in order to frame his face as she tentatively leaned further into the kiss and linked her legs about his waist. The shock over feeling every part of him pressing so needily against her made her head spin, yet she managed to stay in control of her faculties as she felt him fumbling for the knob to his bedroom door.

Becoming frustrated with the stubborn handle, Willie kicked the door until it burst open with a reverberating _'bang!',_ neither lover paying attention to their surroundings as he staggered with her over toward his bed and fell carelessly down upon it.

Gone was the hesitation, and in its place was the furious need that had been building up between them ever since their first kiss. Both had secretly yearned for the other amidst their separation, but they were far too proud by nature to ever own up to such a fact.

Panting against the soft expanse of Maggie's lips, Willie began to disrobe her with shaking fingers, the governess closing her eyes as he unfastened her dress and beheld her with luminous blue-gray irises. She was still wearing the bathing suit from earlier on, so the sudden sensation of the slightly damp fabric parting from her skin made her shudder. Continuing to peel her bathing suit from her lithe form, Willie began searing several warm, feverish kisses down along the smooth plane of her stomach, Maggie releasing a soft moan as she felt the aching at her core only intensify amidst his painfully alluring touch. With a reverent gentleness, Willie slipped the bathing suit down over her knees before gathering her up in his arms and kissing her with a mind-numbing fervor that couldn't be helped.

Mewling dazedly into the servant's open mouth, Maggie clung to him as his tongue caressed her own amidst their passionate desperation, her body shaking horribly once she felt him slip out of his trousers and undergarments with an urgency that both thrilled and frightened her. What was he doing to her? By God, she couldn't think straight…

"Maggie?"

She looked up at him with curious brown eyes, her lips swollen from his kisses and her cheeks flushed with the rosy tint of their passion as she tried her best to still the furious beating of her heart. "Y-yes?" she managed to stammer, the heat rushing to her face as she awaited what it was that he had to say.

With pained blue-gray eyes, Willie mumbled, "I'm givin' ya one last chance ta back out, Maggie, c-cuz I care aboutcha too much ta hurtcha. N-now I know toldja that before, but I meant it, s-so I-"

"Don't" Maggie urged, her hand lightly stoking his cheek as she shook her head. "Just don't, alright? I'm not afraid of what anyone thinks, Willie, and like you, I really _do_ mean that."

"Then…y-you're not gonna regret…?"

"No, why would I?" Maggie demanded, her eyes reflecting her natural stubbornness as she linked her arms about his neck and smiled. "I was the one who practically barreled through the door to get through to you, remember? I think I know what I'm doing."

Willie gave her a nervous smile, but before he could argue, Maggie devoured his lips with her own amidst a sudden act of passionate desperation, her tongue delving deep within the cavern of his mouth as he moaned into their heated kiss. Feeling every lovely inch of her pressing frantically against his trembling body, he wondered how on earth he could ever have possibly denied her in the first place.

Tremulously urging himself against Maggie's womanhood, Willie could scarcely contain the fear over hurting her as he continued to shiver and shake, the governess only now appearing to be a little frightened as she hesitantly grasped at his shoulders.

"It's ok" she whispered, now pressing her forehead to his, "Y-you won't hurt me…"

Placing her beautifully-manicured hands upon his hips, she carefully beckoned him forward, her back arching as she felt him gingerly press forward and enter her with a gentleness that truly touched her.

By now Maggie was in tears, yet she refused to let something as trivial as pain ruin her first experience. Tossing her head back against her pillow, the governess gave a pitiful whimper before she hesitantly coaxed him to go deeper.

Obeying her wish, Willie groaned as he felt the svelte embrace of Maggie's warmth parting in order to encompass his entire girth, her soft body now accepting him completely to the hilt as he dug his fingers into the sheets and buried his face against the crook of her neck.

Biting her lip, Maggie pleaded brokenly, "Please, Willie..._faster."_

Creating a rhythm between them so that his angel would be pleased, Willie couldn't help but admire Maggie's lovely countenance as it changed from that of pain to complete euphoria in a matter of seconds.

Clawing at the broad expanse of Willie's shoulders, Maggie tightly wound her legs about her lover's middle and screamed her ecstasy into the warm afternoon air, beads of sweat trickling down her brow as they continued to writhe and pulsate within the tangled sheets like two unbridled serpents.

Joining his lips with hers again and again, Willie continued to love Maggie with all that he had, his bedraggled, sweat-pasted hair falling into his line of vision as he and his lover shared a single lustful shout.

Feeling his stamina wearing thin, Willie bestowed Maggie with one last bruising kiss, his long withheld desire for the woman in his arms erupting deep within her womb as he wearily collapsed into her sheltering embrace.

"Willie…"

Closing her eyes, Maggie allowed her head to drop back languidly against the pillow as her lover disengaged himself from her body, his lips falling to the crook of her neck before he melted down atop her form and held her close. To his disappointment, he found that Maggie was already fast asleep, a small smile coming to his lips as he then decided that no matter what the consequences were in the morning, he would sort them out later. He wasn't quite sure how to feel at the moment, but all he knew for certain was that at long last, she was _his._

**A/N:** Cop-out, cop-out, cooop-oooout:-P I've been having a lot of those lately, which isn't a good thing, but I SO wasn't feeling that love scene. :-/ I guess it's because I've written so many, and there's only so much that you can do, soooo yeah…sorry for the suckiness and the sense of being rushed that I see toward the end. Don't worry, though, I shouldn't have TOO much writer's block in the future, if any, since I finally won't be making up a completely new chapter. By the next chapter you might actually start to recognize some things since I'll be rewriting the chapters according to how badly they need it (which is a lot, in most cases). LoL

**P.S.** I have fan art for this chapter right here: h t t p / s w e e t f a I t h 0 6 . d e v I a n t a r t . c o m / a r t / C a r o l y n – a n d – M a g g i e – F e s s – U p – 6 7 7 3 9 8 4 3

Just take the spaces out, and you should be fine. :-D Thanks!


	4. An Unpleasant Series of Events

**CH 4: An Unpleasant Series of Events**

Willie awoke to the soft pressure of lips against his forehead, his bleary eyes opening in order to find that Maggie was still in his arms, and willingly so.

"I'm glad you're awake, because now we can discuss our business transaction" she fondly whispered.

"_Business_ transaction?"

"Why, yes" Maggie returned as if it were obvious, "I think that after last night's performance you owe me quite a bit. Don't worry, though, I take personal checks."

Willie balked. "I-I…_wha?"_

Bursting into a fit of laughter, Maggie threw her arms about his neck before insisting, "I was just kidding, silly – last night didn't make me decide to become a professional courtesan!"

"Well why not?"

"Oh, you!" Giving him a playful slap on the arm, Maggie snuggled up beneath his chin before adding, "I hope you don't have too much to do this evening, because I was hoping that we could spend some time together."

Willie was now wide awake, his nerves slightly on edge as he spluttered, "B-but what about Barnabas, uh? You're supposed ta be havin' dinner with him, remember?"

"He can always reschedule" Maggie insisted, her lips falling to the crook of her lover's neck as she inquired, "Is it such a crime to prefer spending my evening with you? If it's going to be a problem, I suppose we can always just tell him about us…"

Willie shot up in bed as if attached to a spring, his head shaking wildly back and forth as he argued, "No, w-we could _never_ do that! B-B-Barnabas would kill me!"

"Well why?" Maggie demanded, sitting up so that she could meet with his petrified gaze. "I don't see why he should be opposed to our relationship unless you made some weird vow of celibacy. You're not a monk, are you?"

In normal case scenarios, Willie would have laughed at her joke, but the nauseating dread that currently held him by the throat allowed him no such luxury. "Maggie, just listen ta me, alright? Barnabas likes ya, an' I mean _really_ likes ya, so if he knew that I…an' you…"

Maggie raised an eyebrow at this sudden bit of news. "You mean Barnabas has a crush on me?" When Willie nodded, she couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles, the servant watching on as if she were mad as she exclaimed, "Oh, Willie, that's _ridiculous!_ And even if it _were_ true, it'd be too bad for Barnabas since I care nothing for him – nothing could compare to what I feel for you."

Willie's gaze softened as she wrapped her arms about him and pressed her lips to his, the ache in his heart only blossoming with the realization that someone in the world _finally _cared. As a child he'd never known love, nor had he once he finally ran away from home to start a new life. The women of his adolescence used and abused him for different reasons, but all for the sake of their own gain. If someone had told him to keep heart because one day he'd finally meet someone worthy of affections, he would've laughed out loud and chalked it up as mindless insanity. But now that he had Maggie…

Willie closed his eyes. Oh, God, she was wrapped up in his arms and she _cared_ – maybe even _loved_ him, and it took his everything to keep himself from breaking down right then and there. What had he done to deserve someone so beautiful? So smart, fun, and loving?

Placing a hand reverently against the curve of Maggie's cheek, Willie pressed his lips against the coolness of her forehead before lightly brushing his mouth against her own. He could feel the heat of her desire radiating from her sweet gaze, his hands now encircling her waist before he drew her against him and claimed her lips with a fervid desperation that made the governess weak in the knees.

Melting into Willie's kiss, Maggie placed her hands on either of his shoulders before forcing him to recline back on the bed, her body gently straddling his waist as she began dotting a searing trail of kisses down from his neck to his cheek.

Feeling his desperate need for her in between her thighs, Maggie teasingly remarked in his ear, "Boy, it doesn't take much for you, does it?"

Willie stared up at her in bewilderment before giving a low chuckle, his arms coming about her middle as he rolled her beneath him and began kissing her with a mind-numbing ardency.

Whimpering amidst his heated kiss, Maggie parted her thighs just as she took note of the clock on the nightstand, her body giving a jolt as she shot up and sent Willie flying to the side of her with an indignant cry.

"Oh, my God, I'm late for work!" Maggie screeched, her cheeks growing hot amidst her panicked state as she leapt off the bed in search of her clothes.

"You gotta be kiddin' me" Willie groaned, throwing an arm across his eyes in order to block out Maggie's naked form. Judging by the state he was in now, and seeing how she had to leave almost immediately, he was fully aware of the fact that he didn't need any additional turn-ons since he, too had to get to work before long.

When a persistent tugging came at his arm, Willie opened his eyes in order to find Maggie flustered, fully-dressed, and with an expectant look on her face. _"Well?"_ she finally demanded. "Aren't you going to get up and show me to the door?"

"Like _this?_ Maggie, I don't got a lick a' clothin' on!"

Giving a frustrated growl, Maggie threw her arms up in the air before giving an irritated "Fine!", her hands coming out in order to frame his face as she gave him a quick kiss as her goodbye. When she tried to pull away, however, Willie pulled her right back, a shrill shriek escaping the governess' lips as she found herself being wrested possessively against his chest in an act that both amused and irritated her.

"Willie Loomis, you let go of me right this instant!" Maggie hissed, completely unable to keep a giggle from escaping her lips when he pinned her down and began kissing the sensitive skin of her neck. "Stop it, Willie – I mean it, _stop!_ That tickles!" Breaking out into yet another fit of giggling, Maggie began kicking her legs about as she tried to free herself of the servant's embrace, her voice filled with laughter as she exclaimed, "Willie, I…I _told_ you…ugh, _stop_ it! Stop it or else!"

"Or else what, you'll teach me ta death, Ms. Governess?" Willie shot back, grinning into the crook of her neck as he continued to hold her firmly in place beneath him.

Maggie gave him a good-natured slap on the arm in retaliation, her tone now filled with a sense of foreboding as she jested, "No, but if you don't let me go, I just might have to go find myself a man who'll listen to me the _first_ time around instead of the thousandth." When Willie reluctantly rolled off of her, Maggie gave a "That's a good boy" before kissing his cheek and heading for the door.

Once she had left the room and descended the stairs, she paused before the large double doors and smiled, her gaze trailing back up toward Willie's bedroom as she felt herself give a light-hearted sigh.

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When Maggie finally returned to Collinwood, she found herself humming "My Guy" as she entered the foyer, her body slightly swaying as she walked into the drawing room in search of her textbooks. What she found, however, was none other than Carolyn Stoddard.

"Oh…my…_God"_ the blonde gasped, her features breaking out into an unexpected grin as she rose from the settee. "Just _look_ at you, Maggie Evans – you're positively _glowing!_ In fact, you kinda look like I did when I…um…" Carolyn couldn't finish. Allowing her gaze to travel from Maggie's twinkling eyes to her rosy cheeks, and then down to her muddy shoes, she couldn't help but balk, her gaze then returning to the governess' as she accused, "Your shoes are covered in mud from Barnabas' property – oh, my God, you were with Willie Loomis all night, weren't you!?"

"What? _No!_ I merely went out for a walk this morning" Maggie lied, trying her best to keep the color from her cheeks as she felt her confidence waning beneath the heiress' stare.

The situation was so ridiculous that Carolyn couldn't help but laugh, her eyes rolling as she returned, "So I guess during this so-called 'walk' you didn't happen to notice that A) you're wearing the exact same dress as yesterday, or B) that you're in _dire_ need of a comb? Because you definitely look as if you've been tumbling around in the hay…"

Maggie meekly cast her gaze toward the far wall in defeat. "W-well, I…I just…just…"

"No need to apologize, Maggie Evans, because I can now proudly say that you've officially become a woman!" Carolyn exclaimed, squealing as she rushed over and gave her friend a hug. Lowering her voice so that only the governess could hear, she added, "So was he rough with you? You look almost as if you've been in a gigantic wind tunnel!"

Maggie pulled away in astonishment. "Why no, of course he wasn't – Willie wouldn't ever think of hurting me like some of _your_ past men!"

"Oh, really?" Smirking, Carolyn explained, "I never _once_ said it was Willie after your little denial game, but now that I know, thanks for the gossip."

"Oh, Carolyn, you wouldn't tell…"

"No, no, this is just between us girls!" the blonde hurriedly assured her. "I've got nothing to gain from tarnishing my best friend's name, so everything we're talking about now is just for kicks." Pausing in order to shut the double doors, she added over her shoulder, "So how was everything? Judging by your disheveled appearance _and_ the fact that you pulled a one-nighter, I'd have to say that Willie must've really done a number on you."

"Yes" Maggie admitted, by now putting all embarrassment aside. "I-I mean, I've never gone home from a man feeling quite the way I did this morning – it was almost as if I were drowning."

Carolyn made a face. "Ew, don't mind me, but I think I'd actually like to keep my breakfast _down,_ thanks. All this lovey-dovey crap is a little much…"

"But I can't help it!" Maggie irritably defended. "Didn't you ever feel similar things toward the men of your past relationships?"

Carolyn thought about it a moment, only to immediately shake her head. "Nope, sorry – guess I must've missed that step from the lover's handbook. I _did,_ however, date this one guy from Boston who just _loved_ to do it standing. He made me feel pretty darn amazing, if that's what you're referring to."

Maggie grimaced. "Um, no, not at all, actually. I believe that my emotions stem from something much deeper than carnal desire… Something more along the lines of-"

"Love?"

Maggie felt her cheeks grow hot, yet she smiled and admitted, "Well, I suppose it's possible – I don't know if I've ever _truly_ been in love before, and since this feeling is so different, you might be right for a change."

"Sorry I can't be of more help in that department, but you know that if _you've_ never really been in love, then _I've_ never been in love" Carolyn pointed out, a smirk coming to her lips as she turned toward the bay window. "To be perfectly honest, I've been waiting to hear this confession of yours for quite some time now, so all I can say is it's about damn time!"

Maggie blushed. "You mean…you were able to _tell?"_

"Well the shy fascination kinda gave it away" Carolyn insisted, laughing at the look on her friend's face. "But don't worry, alright? I think you two will be good for each other…maybe you'll make him less crazy, or something."

Maggie couldn't help but smile. "Somehow I think you may be right…"

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Willie continued to curse Barnabas under his breath as he stood with his paintbrush in hand, all the while wondering why his master felt he needed to paint the house on the day that he _also_ had to prepare everything for dinner.

'_Stupid Barnabas'_ he thought. _'He don't even know what the hell he's doin', an' I-'_

"Hey there!"

With a shriek, Willie dropped the paintbrush into the grass, his walleyed stare cutting toward his surprise visitor as he snapped, "Dammit, Maggie, whaddaya tryin' a' do, uh? I coulda had a heart attack!"

"Well gee, that wasn't the greeting I was hoping for" Maggie admitted with a laugh. "You were supposed to say something more along the lines of, 'Oh, my dearest, it is so wonderful to see you again after such short notice. I have pined for you, and now that you are here, I will take you in my arms and-"

"Alright, that's it – no more romance books for you" Willie cut in with a smirk. "Whaddaya doin' out here so early, though, uh? You ain't even supposed ta be here for another two hours."

"Well that's a pretty silly question, don't you think? I came to see you before I'm forced to pretend I'm _madly_ interested in whatever Barnabas has to say" Maggie joked. Now glancing at the house, she added, "Since you look like you've got so much work to do, let me help."

Willie gave her a horrified look. "W-w-_what?_ Oh, no, no, no…B-Barnabas would kill me if he found out I'd been lettin' ya help me with the chores."

"Well why? Because it's a _man's_ job?" Maggie scoffed. "Seriously, Willie, you can't honestly be expected to paint an entire house _and_ make dinner for tonight."

"W-well…"

"Let me help you" Maggie told him more forcefully, her stance meaning business as she bent over in order to retrieve one of the spare brushes. Once she'd dipped it in the bucket and started painting, Willie hurriedly took her by the arm before insisting, "Aw, look, Maggie, you're doin' it all wrong – you're supposed ta brush it back an' forth like this."

"Oh, where would I be without you?" she mocked. "Thank _Heavens_ that my knight in shining armor was able to save me from the repercussions of vertical brush strokes!"

Willie couldn't help but droop. "Aw, c'mon now, Maggie, this is serious – Barnabas could get really mad, an'…_hey!"_

Giggling and admiring the splotch of paint she'd left on his face, Maggie impertinently insisted, "Why, Willie, that shade of white suits you _so_ well! It really brings out the red in your cheeks when you're angry!"

Giving a snort, Willie reached for his brush in retaliation, only to see Maggie take off upon the realization of his intentions. "Can't take whatcha dish out, uh?" he called, a vengeful smirk gracing his lips as he went racing after her.

Leaping over rocks and jutting tree roots, Maggie tried to keep her laughter to a minimum so that she wouldn't tire so easily, her hand clenching her brush more tightly as she heard the servant's footsteps coming from close behind.

Screaming, Maggie felt Willie's strong arm come about her middle and pull her back against his chest, her laughter-filled pleas for being spared failing to invoke pity as the servant slapped his brush against her cheek.

"Gotcha" he whispered, grinning when Maggie gave a stunned shriek of outrage. Turning her around, he kissed her full on the mouth before she could even think to retaliate, her arms coming about his neck before she whispered against his lips, "You are _such_ a jerk."

_"Me?"_ Willie squeaked. _"You_ were the one ta start it, so I darn well was gonna be the one ta finish it!"

Laughing and wiping at her cheek, Maggie took him by the hand before urging, "Alright, I suppose that's enough…let's finish painting that darn house."

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When Barnabas saw Maggie's disheveled appearance, he had to do a double-take, his eyes wandering from her improperly buttoned blouse to the slightly mussed hair, and then finally to the dry splotch of paint on her left cheek. "I say, my dear, are you alright?" he inquired, now taking her by the arm as he led her into the sitting room.

"Oh, are you referring to my face? I recently took up painting – guess I forgot to clean up before I arrived" Maggie bluffed, her cheeks flushing slightly as he pulled out a chair for her at the table.

"Indeed? Well how wonderful of you to follow in your father's footsteps" Barnabas praised. Now calling for Willie, he added, "Do you prefer red or white wine?"

"Surprise me" Maggie urged, truly not caring as she watched the servant meekly enter the room. When he placed their wine glasses on the table, she couldn't help but smile over the fact that Barnabas was completely oblivious to their love affair. Although she figured it was very wrong not to tell him, it brought a certain excitement due to the fact that they were trying to keep it hidden at all costs. Even more thrilling, still, she knew that Barnabas would pitch a fit if he were aware of what they'd been doing in the wood shed for the past half hour.

Just as Maggie lifted her wine glass to her lips, the candles on the small table blew out and left the stunned trio within the bone-chilling darkness.

"What's happening?" Maggie demanded, immediately leaping up from the table as the chandelier overhead continued to rock dangerously back and forth.

"I only wish I knew" Barnabas admitted, his senses now high on the alert as he rose from his perch as well. "Willie...go and lock the doors."

Regarding his master with terror-filled eyes, Willie dared to disobey him only for a moment, his initial fear finally leading him over to the double doors before they suddenly blew open and revealed to the petrified group a dark, veiled enchantress.

"Hello, Willie" the shadowed figure greeted sweetly, its small hands reaching up in order to push back its facial coverings. "Aren't you happy to see me, again?"

Willie gasped, now glancing fearfully over toward his master as if awaiting further instruction.

Upon realizing whom it was, Barnabas thrust himself protectively in front of Maggie as if that single gesture could protect her from harm, the lovely witch immediately taking note of this before laughing gaily.

"Oh, Barnabas, please don't tell me that this is your new Josette" Angelique remarked distastefully, her cold, sea-green eyes sliding down along Maggie's slim form with severe criticism. "Does she at least have somewhat of a backbone, this time?"

"Well she ain't no sleazy witch like you, if _that's_ what you're implyin'!" Willie growled from behind, immediately regretting it once Angelique rounded on him in an instant.

_"Sleazy witch?"_ she reiterated, now pausing for a good and hearty laugh. "My, my, you're quite the flatterer, Mr. Loomis. If you had praised me anymore I do believe that I would have blushed."

Adjusting her pitch black manteau about her shoulders, Angelique then circled about Willie like a lioness on the prowl, her large eyes boring deep into his soul until he let out a barely audible squeak.

"Do you feel..._faint?"_ she questioned with mock concern, a sadistic smile now coming to her lips as she reached out a hand and laid it carefully upon his throat. "Can you even breathe anymore, Willie? Is everything getting _darker_ and _**darker**__?"_

"I...I..."

Choking and gasping for breath, the sandy-haired young man dropped down and to his knees, helplessly clawing and swiping at his throat as every living fiber in his being sought to breathe.

_"Willie!"_ Maggie exclaimed, no longer able to just idly stand by and gawk. "Barnabas, you _must_ do something for him!"

"Yes, Barnabas" Angelique agreed smugly from the sidelines, "I shall more than welcome any of your futile attempts at saving this pathetic young man's life."

Glancing frantically from Willie's strained countenance to Angelique's triumphant facade, Maggie then decided that she would take it upon herself to save the servant's life. With this thought burning within her mind like a wild conflagration, Maggie tore past Barnabas' protective form and hurled herself in-between Willie and the witch. "Angelique" she called out heatedly, "you will stop this torment at once!"

Willie glanced up at her through half-closed lids, wondering what on earth she was doing. It very well could have been the mere fact that he was in dire need of oxygen, but it almost seemed as if she were willing to risk her life for him...

"Did you not hear me?" Maggie demanded, the fire in her eyes only intensifying as she took yet another step toward the incredulous witch. "You will let him go _right now,_ Angelique! If you don't do as I say, I will be forced to believe that you are not only hopelessly evil, but incredibly deaf, as well!"

Barnabas flinched. "Maggie, _please..."_

"No, Barnabas" Angelique cut in coldly, "let the girl speak. She clearly has a few things that she'd like to get off her chest."

Maggie had obviously not expected this response, yet she nonetheless decided to take advantage of it. Holding her head up high, she declared proudly, "I will do whatever it is that you ask of me from here on out, but _only_ if you will let Willie go."

Angelique appeared to be pleasantly surprised by this. "And do you swear to fulfill whatever it is that I demand, no matter what the consequences?"

Maggie paused, yet when she glanced down at Willie's gasping form, she couldn't help but nod. "Yes…I do."

Nodding as well, the lovely blonde knelt down and caressed Willie's neck, only to have him immediately cough and sputter as the color gradually began to return to his face. He was breathing, again.

"Now" Angelique began as she smoothly rose back up and to her feet, "since Mr. Loomis' miserable life has been spared, _you,_ Miss Evans, must live up to your end of the bargain, as well."

Maggie nodded meekly. "Well of course...what is it that I must do?"

Releasing a spasm of unrestrained laughter, Angelique then raised her arms as her elliptical answer, only to have the room go up in a great cloud of smoke.

_"Maggie!"_ Willie gasped, coughing as he desperately stumbled back up to his feet and began pushing through the clouded haze. "Maggie…where'dja go!?"

"She's gone!" Barnabas exclaimed, seizing Willie by the arm before pointing to where Maggie and Angelique had stood only moments before. "Quickly, Willie, run to Collinwood and phone the police! If we're able to form a search party, we may be able to find her before sunrise!"

Nodding, Willie frantically bolted out the door and into the woods, his heart beating wildly within his chest once it finally dawned on him as to what had just transpired. His dreams, just like his hopes for a future with Maggie, had now gone up in smoke.

**A/N:** Whew, thank GOD it's over! This chapter took me SO long to write…whew. I had fun with the first part, but the last portion was clearly craptacular since it's what I salvaged from the original fic. I rewrote a little bit of it, but not much. Oh well, hopefully you enjoyed, anyway! ;0)


	5. And So the Deception Begins

**A/N:**Ta-dah! I'm FINALLY back! I know it's only been like a week, but that's bad, especially since this chapter is a re-write. shrug Anywhos, there's a slight twist in this chapter, so I hope you enjoy!

**CH 4: And So the Deception Begins**

It had now been three days since Maggie's disappearance. Three long, miserable days filled with nothing but wishful thinking and the threadbare hope of her return. Willie knew that the first 48 hours were the most crucial, yet by this point he had no hope and had already found himself succumbing to the darkened depths of despair.

Perhaps this was God's sick way of telling him that he wasn't meant to find love – that he wasn't meant to find _happiness._

Lighting a cigarette from one of the many candles, Willie placed the coffin nail in between his lips before giving a slow and meditative puff. Barnabas had long since bade him to stop smoking, yet the servant felt that something of such magnitude entitled him to poison his lungs as much as he damn well pleased.

Giving a slight cough due to not having smoked for several months, Willie couldn't help but grimace once a timid knock came from the front of the house. "I'm comin', I'm comin'" he muttered, shoving his free hand in his pocket as he opened the door and beheld none other than Carolyn Stoddard.

"Carolyn" he acknowledged, his bleary eyes taking her in as if he didn't believe she was really there. "Whaddaya doin' here, uh? Ya wanna see Barnabas, or somethin'?"

Carolyn bowed her head before giving him a feeble smile. "Well no, actually. You see, I…I came here to see you."

"_Me?"_ Willie squeaked, now staring at her as if she'd grown a third limb. "Well what couldja possibly hafta say to a nobody like me, uh? That's what you people think a' me, right?"

Carolyn winced, her tiny white hands grasping at a small parcel as she dared to meet with his agitated gaze. "Willie" she sorrowfully entreated, "I _know_ that I haven't always been kind to you, but I just wanted you to know that I'm only a call away if you need me." Now looking down at the small box, she added, "I didn't know if you were eating right, so I had Mrs. Johnson make these for you."

"Wha? I don't get…" Willie trailed off, now believing that he understood. Carolyn had never gone out of her way to help him before, so perhaps she knew… "Maggie toldja everything, didn't she?"

Carolyn appeared to be momentarily surprised by this inquiry, yet she nonetheless gave a weak nod before bowing her head. "Yes, she did… She's crazy about you, Willie, I _know_ she is, and I also know that you feel the same." With tears in her eyes, she whispered, "This all must be hurting you _so_ badly…"

Willie abruptly looked away, far too grief-stricken to discuss the pain over Maggie's disappearance. "I don't wanna talk about it" he muttered.

Carolyn gave him a pained look. Then, before Willie could stop her, the heiress pulled him in for a tight and heartfelt embrace, her pitiful sniffling causing his gaze to soften as he gingerly linked his arms about her waist.

"It's alright" he mumbled awkwardly. "M-Maggie's a strong girl, so I know she'll come back."

Carolyn buried her face against his chest before sorrowfully returning, "I hope you're right…"

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"Ah...so you're finally awake."

Maggie groaned, placing a delicate hand upon her forehead as she sat up and took in her dreary surroundings: dismal, drab-colored stone block walls, a coffin, Angelique...

"Oh, _God!"_ Maggie screamed, shooting up to her feet to the point that she nearly toppled back over, "You've taken me to the Collins Mausoleum, haven't you!?"

Angelique smiled brightly. "Why, the one and only, my dear. Did you actually think that I'd take you any place less?" Before Maggie could even respond, the lovely witch sustained, "Since I find it far too cruel to keep you in suspense any longer, I'll let you know that you will serve a great purpose that will never be forgotten. Of course, you may not be very appreciative of _your_ end of the bargain, but a deal's a deal."

Maggie frowned deeply. "You're a despicable woman, Angelique – it's truly no wonder that Barnabas hates you so much!"

Taking the dark-haired beauty viciously by the arm, Angelique revealed coolly, "And _that_, my dear, is exactly why I need your help. He may not care about me, but he _does_ care about you."

Maggie gasped. "What are you saying?"

"I think you know what I mean" Angelique returned tartly, her grip about the younger woman's arm only tightening amidst her rage. Smirking upon noticing Maggie's fear, the witch ordered in an almost hypnotic voice, "Look into my eyes, Maggie… Go on – _look."_

When Maggie turned her head to the side in defiance, Angelique irefully seized her by the chin and forced her to face her. _"Look_ at me!" she hissed, her incredible sea green irises somehow seeming to magnify in size. "When I count to three, you will begin to see things in a very new and different light. Your name will no longer be Maggie Evans, but Angelique Bouchard Collins. I believe that I am being quite generous in allowing your memory to stay intact, yet if you so much as look at someone the wrong way, you will immediately become mute. Do you understand?"

Maggie nodded dumbly. "Yes."

"Good."

Now raising her hand so that it was directly in-between them, Angelique formed her fingers in order to give them a snap, her voice chanting ominously in succession, "One...two..._three."_

_Snap._

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Angelique smiled to herself as she stood upon the porch of the Old House, all the while admiring her reflection in the adjacent window as she awaited her knock to finally be answered. Maggie Evans _was_ a beautiful girl, she conceded, yet she still couldn't perceive why Barnabas would ever choose _her_ over herself. Maggie, after all, was a weak and pathetic little damsel in distress – everything that the lovely witch wasn't.

Suddenly frowning, Angelique decided that perhaps _this_ was the reason why Barnabas loved her so much; the woman was the exact antithesis of herself.

Before Angelique could contemplate this another moment longer, a disgusted mutter was heard about 'people visiting at ungodly hours', then the door was opened to reveal a very exhausted-looking Willie Loomis. Upon seeing who was at the door, however, his face immediately transformed into that of shock, then unadulterated euphoria.

_"Maggie!"_ he gasped, pulling her in for a fierce embrace, "Oh, _God,_ I thought I'd lost ya..." Burying his face within the crook of her neck, he inhaled her heavenly scent before releasing a pitiful whimper. "Oh, Jesus,Maggie, where've ya been, uh? You hurt?"

Smirking, Angelique stroked his hair before returning warmly, "Why, no, not at all, dear! Angelique was surprisingly generous since all she did was warn me to stay away from Barnabas."

"Yeah, but for _three whole days?"_ Willie demanded, somehow unconvinced. "That bitch didn't brainwash ya, did she?"

Angelique's smile stiffened due to his hateful remark, yet she nonetheless gave him a brilliant smile before insisting, "Well, of course she didn't – I am thinking on my very own accord, am I not?"

"I dunno" Willie began warily, "you _are_ actin' kinda funny..."

"Willie, _please!_ I don't wish to discuss it any longer!" Angelique begged, now forcing tears to come to her eyes as she purposely threw herself into his arms.

The servant frowned deeply before shaking his head. "I knew it – somethin' _is_ wrong."

"Yes" Angelique choked out pathetically, "th-there is. You see, I've been forced to reveal all sorts of information for her spells – I don't know what she's planning, but I'm _so_ unbearably frightened!"

"What kinda things didja hafta say?" Willie demanded, his hand protectively stroking her hair as he narrowed his eyes.

Sniffling, Angelique miserably returned, "Oh, does it really matter, Willie? I know where she is, so perhaps if we go now, we can stop her…

The servant nodded, feeling that this was definitely the smartest option. "Alright" he agreed, "Jus' gimme time ta get my shotgun, an' we can go."

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"Hello? Is anybody there?" Maggie called, beating frantically against the secret door to the Collins' Mausoleum with all her might. "Oh, _please_ answer me... I know you're out there, Angelique! _Please!"_

When only silence greeted her, the governess' bottom lip trembled, her heart instantly dropping once she realized that she really, truly _was_ alone. What was worse, however, was the fact that she _knew_ there was a way out, yet she couldn't remember it.

Cursing, Maggie allowed her slim form to slide down along the cold, stone wall until she was in a sitting position, hot tears now filling her eyes as she examined her new body with nothing short of contempt for the woman whom had put her in such a compromising position. She had been happy, and now that was all shot straight to Hell. After all, what good would anything do her to be in Angelique's body?

_Click._

Gasping, Maggie raised her head as the secret door began to slowly open, her heart now hammering wildly within her bosom once she spotted two shadowed figures in the entryway.

_"Willie?"_ she questioned hopefully, far too frightened to discover the truth.

The figure merely chuckled in return, then viciously pulled back on the hammer to his firearm. "Witch" he coolly began, "don't even _try_ ta wheedle your way outta this one."

Maggie gasped. _"Willie!_ I-"

_BANG!_

**A/N:** Oh, snap! LoL Yet another evil cliffhanger…I guess? I dunno, I thought it was pretty bearable, but it'll have to do until I finish all of my horrid papers and what have you. Hope you enjoyed! ;0)


	6. The Test

**A/N**: Hello, my dear readers/reviewers! I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long! This chapter may be rather odd, but hopefully you still enjoy. :)

**CH 6: The Test**

Screaming, Maggie cringed the moment the bullet sunk into the flesh of her abdomen and shot out her back in a burst of liquid scarlet, her brilliant eyes locking with Willie's amidst the moment of betrayal.

"Willie" she choked out, "h-how _could_ you? It's me...it's M-" She immediately went mute.

Suppressing her sadistic laughter, Angelique smugly watched on as Maggie frantically tried to speak, only to release several strangled and garbled attempts at revealing her true identity, instead.

"What the hell's wrong with 'er, uh?" Willie demanded, raising an eyebrow as Maggie continued to sob and squirm about. "This ain't like that witch, at all."

Angelique smirked. "Well, with all due respect, my darling, she _was_ just shot. I think you'd be behaving like a fool, as well."

Willie, however, was far too busy grinning to acknowledge her point. "Maggie" he began excitedly, "y-ya jus' called me darlin'! I ain't ever been called that before..." He dropped his gaze shyly.

Smiling, Angelique took his hand in hers before whispering in his ear, "Well why don't we go back to the Old House, then? The night is still young, after all…"

"Huh?" Willie's eyes widened. _"Oh."_ Chuckling at her suggestion, he then jerked his thumb back over at Maggie before questioning rather nervously, "Well what should we do with Angelique, uh? Can't she jus' make a potion an' get better, or somethin'?"

The true witch gave him a dismissive wave of the hand. "She'll be in God's care, soon enough...let her fate be decided without us."

"Yeah, you're right" Willie finally agreed, grinning back at Angelique before reaching up for the handle to the secret door. "G'nite, Angelique…hope ya ain't afraid a' the dark!"

_"Willie!"_ Maggie screamed, her voice now suddenly intact, "please don't leave me here..._please!"_

Her frantic begging, however, was all for naught, her eyes glistening with tears as she found herself swallowed up once more within the dark shadows of the night.

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Willie laid in bed wide awake and trembling, Angelique's head resting snugly against his nude chest and leaving him with an awkward feeling within the pit of his stomach. When they had made love earlier that evening, it felt as if it were a stale routine that they had been doing for years.

Willie loved Maggie with everything he had, and he truly thought that she felt the same way until they had kissed upon entering the Old House. Their expression of love had been distant -- _reserved,_ somehow, and he didn't know why. It bothered him by how different she was, and then...then there was Angelique, the wicked witch, herself.

'_She looked so betrayed when I shot 'er this evenin', yet I don't owe her a damned thing'_ Willie thought uneasily to himself, subconsciously biting his lip as the vision of the scene reappeared before his very eyes. _'Why did she talk ta me as if we shared some sort a'_ _special bond?_ _**Why**_ _do I feel so damned guilty for leavin' 'er ta die?'_

"God_dammit."_

"Willie?"

He immediately looked down. "Whaddaya want?"

Ignoring his rudeness, Angelique demanded, "What's on earth's the matter with you?"

"Nothin'" he muttered, turning his face to the side so that Angelique couldn't see his unabashed frustration. "Go back ta sleep, ok, Maggie? I'm tired, an' I'm sure ya are, too."

Angelique snorted. "You were swearing...nobody swears without a reason."

"That ain't true...I cuss all the time" Willie argued, shaking her off of him before sitting up and reaching for his clothes. "I jus' stubbed my toe, alright? I'll see ya in a bit."

"Wait, _what?"_ Angelique demanded, absolutely baffled, "Where on earth are you going at two in the morning?"

Giving her an unreadable expression, Willie finished buttoning up his shirt, then reached for his coat before returning gruffly, _"Out,_ ok?"

Absolutely bewildered by his tone, Angelique watched on with mild frustration as her temporary lover approached the door and exited the room in a huff, her muddled mind never conjuring up the possibility that he was about to pay a visit to the _real_ Maggie Evans.

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'_What the hell am I doin' here?' _Willie wondered, scratching the back of his head as he anxiously stood within the Collins Mausoleum._ 'After all, that stupid witch's been nothin' but trouble in the past, and yet...she seems different somehow. Almost human, even.'_

Letting out an agitated grunt, the sandy-haired servant pulled on the lever above the secret panel, only to have the cement slab open with a strained creak. Within the room, his troubled gaze rested upon the lovely blonde woman curled up in a corner.

"A-Angelique?" he questioned tremulously, "Ya dead?"

Maggie slowly raised her tearful gaze from the floor, only to let out a cry of pure, unadulterated delight upon spotting her lover standing there in the doorway. _"Willie!"_ she exclaimed, absolutely euphoric, "Oh, I _knew_ you'd be able to see through the switch! We care about one another too much for it to be otherwise!"

"What the hell're you talkin' about?" Willie demanded, by now absolutely mystified. "Ya mus' be sicker than you're lettin' on...is your wound ok?"

Maggie nodded slowly. "Yes...amazingly, I managed to heal myself. It took a while to figure out, but it happened. Come here and have a look." Lifting the skirts of her dress so that they went well over her stomach, she then revealed to him the smooth, unscathed expanse of flesh that had once been marred and smeared with her own blood.

"Wow" Willie whispered, only to immediately look away upon the realization that she was also revealing her shapely legs and lacy panties. "Put your skirt back down, will ya? That ain't very lady-like."

"Oh!" Maggie exclaimed. "I'm _so_ sorry!" Blushing a million shades of crimson, the young beauty allowed her skirts to tumble back down around her ankles, her luminous sea-green eyes instantly averting down to her feet once she realized that he was staring at her.

"You're so diff'rent" Willie remarked softly, drawing as near to her as he dared. "Ya almos' remind me of...of..."

"M-" Just as before, Maggie fell mute at the attempt of mentioning her name, hot, unshed tears burning along her lashes as she stared back at him in utter frustration. One way or another, she decided that she would get him to realize that _she_ was the one and only Maggie Evans.

Taking Willie firmly by the shoulders, Maggie pulled him in for a bruising and feverish kiss, the servant's eyes fluttering open in utter astonishment before he pushed her away as if he'd been burned.

"What the hell's wrong with you, uh?" he demanded, by now shaking completely from head to toe. "I care about _Maggie,_ ya hear? _Maggie!"_

'But I _am _Maggie!' the young beauty mouthed, but to no avail. Willie could not read lips.

"What's wrong with you? What're ya tryin' a' say?" he demanded, taking her by the arms before giving her a frustrated shake. "Why can'tcha speak?!"

Thoroughly irritated by this point, Maggie pulled herself away from his iron-like grip and turned to face the wall, using her fingernails in order to try to write her name upon the hard stone. After several attempts at leaving a mark, she soon came to realize that the wall was far too tough and her nails too weak.

Cursing, Maggie then turned back around to face her lover, tears of defeat and anguish streaming down her cheeks once she realized she may never be able to be held by him, again. He loved _her,_ not Angelique, so getting him to see past the switch would be exceedingly difficult.

"You're lucky I didn't kill ya for hurtin' Maggie in the firs' place" Willie announced coarsely, a cold and steely glint reflecting off his dark eyes. "Hell, you're lucky you're a witch...any other broad woulda jus' died right on the spot."

Maggie winced. "I wish I could tell you the truth...it hurts _so_ much to be silenced like this."

"Wha? So now ya can jus' magically talk, again?" Willie demanded, by this point beyond agitated. "If you're such a great witch, why can'tcha jus' undo whatever spell it is you're under?"

Maggie immediately lit up. "I never thought of that! And yet..." She faltered. "I-I don't know how...healing my wound was just a stroke of pure luck, I guess."

"Hmph" Willie groused. "Some witch."

When all Maggie could do was stare, he immediately looked away, his cheeks growing hot once he realized that he was betraying his lover by staying with her mortal enemy. "I-I gotta go" he announced, still not meeting with her intense gaze. "You should go, too...e-except ta wherever it is thatcha came from."

"You mean...you'll let me go?" Maggie questioned breathlessly, her innermost fears immediately being quelled upon his earnest nod. "Oh, Willie" she praised, "thank you _so_ much...now that I'm to go free, however, I do have one simple request."

Willie shrugged, then motioned toward her with his hand. "Speak."

Taking his callused hand in hers, she anxiously began, "I have an idea as to how I can tell you what I must, yet in order to do so we'll have to go to Collinwood. Do you mind? It's very important…"

Willie shrugged once more. "As long as Maggie doesn't see us, I don't see why not."

Maggie let out a sigh of relief and took Willie by the arm, not seeming to mind his discomfort in the slightest. "Thank you, Willie…you won't regret this."

Willie gave her a tight-lipped smile, but he wasn't so sure…

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"What the hell're you doin'?" Willie demanded, watching on with mild fascination as Maggie uncapped a pen and began to write upon the piece of paper that she'd requested.

Not even raising her eyes from her message, she returned cryptically, "I'm writing you a note...please make sure that Mrs. Stoddard or Carolyn don't come in."

"Oh...yeah, sure" Willie agreed, abandoning his position beside her in order to lock the large double doors. As soon as he returned to her side, however, he raised an eyebrow at what he saw. "I'm not Angelique...if ya still love me, ya mus' believe. It's me...M-"

Cursing, Willie leapt back from the desk in complete surprise, Maggie's slender form trembling against his own as the couple watched the note curl up amidst the flames that engulfed its mass of secrets.

"Oh, God, I'll _never_ be able to tell you, now!" Maggie wailed, growing tearful as she turned in order to face her lover. "Forgive me for wasting your time, but-"

"No" Willie immediately interjected, "I-I think I finally understand what's going on now. I may be jus' a simple servant an' all, but I'll always know who _you_ are, Maggie."

The governess gasped upon his vocalization, by now completely unable to prevent the euphoric laughter from escaping her lips once she realized that he really, truly _did_ love her. "I can't believe it...I had my doubts, yet you saw right through the switch."

Willie gave her a crooked smile. "Do ya think ya could give me another chance? I didn't wanna fight…"

"Of course, Willie" Maggie agreed softly. "What kind of fool would I be if I didn't?"

"A pretty damn smart one" a cold, feminine voice interrupted from the entryway, the couple separating in an instant upon realizing who it was.

"A-Angelique!" Maggie gasped, clinging to Willie in fright, "What do you want with us? Why can't you just leave us alone?!"

Laughing gaily, the lovely witch entered the room with a light sashay, her eyes bright and luminescent as she returned smugly, "As much as I'd simply _adore_ granting you your request, Miss Evans, I must admit that I still have plans for you and your lover." Looking Willie up and down, she remarked coolly, "Although I must admit that you have rather eccentric taste in men, this young twerp worships the very ground you walk on, and for that reason alone I've decided to allow you both to undergo the least severe of my tests. Even in the body of Maggie Evans, it is going to be quite difficult to win Barnabas' affections, so I will need all the help I can get."

Willie swallowed. "A-an' ya want us ta help ya, is that it? You're a witch, so why don'tcha jus' wave a magic wand an' make 'im love ya, or somethin'?"

"No!" Angelique snapped, her eyes narrowing as she regarded the servant with furious eyes. "I could_ never _force Barnabas to love me, for that would be far too easy. I want him to come to me of his own free will, which is why I need you two to assist me in my endeavors.If you comply, you both shall live. If you not...well..." she shrugged. "We shall see, won't we?"

"Whadda we hafta do?" Willie demanded, subconsciously pushing Maggie protectively behind him.

Motioning toward the double doors, Angelique returned casually, "Why, just walk through the entryway and into the foyer...once you cross the threshold, I will guide you with my voice and give you further instructions."

Nodding, Willie turned to Maggie and took her by the arms. "Ya think ya can do this?"

She immediately shook her head.

"Aw, c'mon, Maggie, I-"

"No, Willie! Can't you see that she's just using us!?"

Sensing that the stubborn young woman would not be so easily convinced, Angelique added coldly from the sidelines, "Did I mention that if you don't comply, you will _both_ die?"

Her eyes widening in astonishment at this, Maggie turned to face her lover before nodding slowly in acknowledgement. The moment Willie took her hand comfortingly within his own, however, she felt safe and completely untouchable. "Don't ever leave me" she whispered, only to have Willie squeeze her hand tightly in response.

Leading her forward, Willie pushed the doors completely open, then slowly crossed the threshold...

**A/N:** Yeah…another chapter ended. Wahoo. Yay me. --trumpets and other fanfare plays--


	7. Betrayed

YOU KNOW THE DRILL: DON'T OWN, DON'T SUE! ;)

**CH 7: Betrayed**

_"STOP!"_

Angelique froze abruptly in place, her mouth slightly ajar due to being caught amidst such a crucial moment. "Barnabas!" she exclaimed, only to immediately break out into an unexpected grin. "I was just about to send your friends on a little journey, yet your presence _is_ a welcome one. Would you care for a brandy?"

Barnabas frowned deeply. "I can't believe _anyone_ ever thought you were Maggie, Angelique. You may share her beauty at the moment, yet you will never match up to her mild-mannered sweetness that everyone has come to love so much!"

"Oh, _spare_ me your sob stories! You always were a fool, Barnabas!" Angelique spat, her eyes alight with sheer hatred. "Forget about any chances of wheedling me to your side...their deaths shall now be in _your_ hands!"

Gasping, Maggie shielded her eyes as Angelique made a foreboding gesture of the beginnings of a spell, Willie watching on in surprise as Barnabas withdrew a firearm from beneath his manteau and fired.

Sensing this, Angelique immediately transformed her essence back into that of her original body, only to receive the shock of her life. There, upon her bosom, was a deep scarlet stain that began to bloom across her dress like a wild rose. "You..." she spluttered, "y-you _tricked_ me!"

"No, Angelique" Barnabas corrected. "The choice to undo the switch was _yours."_

Screaming out of both pain and outrage, the witch doubled over in utter agony, her sea-green eyes only augmenting in size as she clenched her teeth and choked on the blood that suddenly erupted past her lips. "Barnabas" she ground out hoarsely, "you _will_ pay, so help me, God...you _will!"_

Barnabas smirked, raising his firearm once more. "I look forward to it, my dear."

_BANG!_

Screaming, Maggie watched on in revulsion as Angelique let out a garbled wail and dropped to the carpeted floor like a deadweight, her large eyes both open and unmoving as an aura of quietus began to encompass her entire being.

Trembling, Maggie grasped onto Willie's arm, somehow managing to question amidst her fear, "Is she...i-is she...?"

"Dead?" Barnabas supplied, nodding. "Yes, but her fate never lasts for long...I do hope you're not feeling any remorse, Miss Evans. After all, it was _you_ she was trying to kill."

"Well yes_,_ but...it's such an awful way to die" Maggie whispered, her eyes both wide and fearful as she regarded the witch's lifeless form with silent terror. "Do you think you could possibly get rid of her, Barnabas? I-I can't _stand_ it!"

"Of course" the older man agreed. Turning to Willie, he ordered casually, "Take Miss Evans on up to her room so that she can get some rest. Once you have done so, report back downstairs for further instructions."

Willie nodded weakly. "Y-yeah, ok, Barnabas." It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that _he_ would be the one burying the witch's body. It made him shiver at the very thought of having to touch that evil woman, even if it only meant for a moment. Now that he was actually beginning to form somewhat of a real life for himself, he absolutely despised the fact that he was _still_ accepting orders from Barnabas. How did he have the right to continuously boss him around, anyway? Perhaps it was time that he stood up for himself...

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"Are you alright, Miss Evans?"

"Oh..._Barnabas!"_ Maggie exclaimed, placing a hand over her heart as she whirled around in order to intercept her caller. "You frightened me – I had no idea you were still in Collinwood!"

"Oh...well I do apologize" Barnabas ruefully remarked, his dark eyes glittering strangely within the moonlight as he dared to step closer toward the innocent beauty. "Let me assure you that you look nothing short of beautiful tonight, Miss Evans. Any man would be quite lucky to have you."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, now considerably discomforted by his words. "Why do you look at me that way, Barnabas? Are you ill?"

"Oh, no" he assured her, smirking to himself as he dared to draw even nearer. "I feel quite well, thank you."

"Well, if that's the case, I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I'm very tired" Maggie remarked tartly, carefully securing the tie to her nightgown before she took a cautious step back.

Completely ignoring her request altogether, Barnabas suddenly leapt forward and embraced the dark-haired beauty within his strong arms, her resounding screams echoing throughout Collinwood once his razor-sharp fangs sunk into her neck and began to excavate the blood from beneath the swollen flesh.

Overhearing her cries from down below, Willie frantically abandoned his brandy and began to take the stairs two at a time, Mrs. Johnson nosily sticking her head out from behind the kitchen door to see what all the commotion was about. Upon Willie's aberrant gesturing for her to go back inside, however, she merely 'tsked' and returned to her chores in a sullen fashion.

As soon as the servant reached Maggie's quarters, however, he was utterly revolted to find Barnabas and his beloved embracing as if their lives depended on it, his master's face buried deep within the crook of Maggie's neck as she continued to cling to him in what appeared to be complete and utter rapture.

At first Willie felt nothing due to the initial shock, yet after processing the completely horrendous sight, he felt as if his heart had been crushed beneath a thousand pound weight. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think… God, he felt so _used!_

With a sob, Willie tore himself from the scene and went staggering through the hallway, a hand coming across his eyes as he tried his damndest to suppress his tears. Lately he hadn't had a reason to cry because of Maggie, but now that she had gone and done the unthinkable…

"Oh, God!"

Placing his head in his hands, Willie hardly even heard Carolyn until she was directly behind him, her fair head cocking to the side as she ventured, "Willie? What's the matter? Has something happened?"

He miserably shrugged his shoulders. "Nothin' worth mentioning."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I dunno."

Placing her hands on her hips, Carolyn strode forward so that she was now staring up at Willie's tearful eyes, her gaze softening as she pressed, "Please tell me, Willie – perhaps I can help you."

"Yeah…maybe you can" he softly agreed. "Whenever ya next see Maggie, tell 'er I never wanna see 'er again, alright?"

"Oh, Willie!"

"No, I mean it" he snapped. "I-I-I don't wanna have nothin' ta do with that girl no more, an' that's that. You can also tell 'er I plan on leavin' Collinsport tonight…for good."

Touching his arm, Carolyn demanded, "Willie, what on earth's gotten into you? Maggie cares for you a great deal, so I know your decision will kill her!"

"Good – I hope it does" Willie grumbled.

"Oh! Surely you don't mean that!"

"No" Willie sorrowfully agreed, "but I can't help feelin' the way I do, Carolyn – jus' give 'er the message for me, will ya? An' don't you go addin' words ta my mouth, neither."

"Yes, yes, of course…"

Watching after Willie's retreating form with wide eyes, Carolyn placed a hand over her mouth before wondering what could've possibly changed him so much.

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Hurriedly zipping up his suitcase as he stood shaking within the Old House, Willie felt his heart bleeding tears of crimson, the need to liberate his soul rapidly ascending with each agonizing moment that the clock on the wall dared to strike.

"Where are you going?"

That voice..._Maggie._

Freezing on impulse, Willie whirled around in order to face his lover, his features growing considerably pale upon spotting her standing there in the doorway. "W-w-what're you doin', here, Maggie?" he demanded, swallowing hard. "Get out...jus' get out, _now!"_

"How can I possibly get out without knowing why you want to leave me?" the dark-haired beauty demanded, her brown eyes appearing to be moist and glossy with unshed tears. "Carolyn told me your message, and yet..." She bit her lip. "Surely you know I love you?"

Willie sneered. "Well ya sure as hell fooled me, Maggie! You're a good liar, I'll give ya that much...if I didn't know any better, I'd probably say that you were tellin' the truth."

"But I _am_ telling the truth!" Maggie wailed, suddenly lunging forward before taking him in her arms. "I _love_ you...can't you see that?"

"Shut up!" he snarled, shoving her so hard that she sailed into the bed and knocked over a nearby lamp. Gritting his teeth upon spotting the tears in her eyes, he groused, "Stop your cryin'! You ain't hurt that bad!"

When all Maggie could do was sob, Willie reluctantly bent down at the knee and held out a trembling hand for her to take, his tremendous guilt giving in like that of quicksand as he wondered why he'd done what he had.

Glaring up at him, the hurt beauty ignored his sudden act of kindness, her voice garbled with tears as she wailed, "Get away from me, Willie!"

"B-but Maggie, I didn't mean…"

"Go! Just _leave!"_

Furious, Willie blinked back his tears before shouting, "Well _fine!_ I-I never wanted ta spend all my days here in hell with you, anyway, so…so…_goodbye!"_

On that not-so-eloquent note, the servant grabbed his suitcase and went storming down the stairs and out the door. He half expected to see Maggie coming after him in all her fervent glory, but to his surprise (and more astonishingly, his disappointment), he found that Maggie had no intention of doing so. Even more fueled on by this final rejection, Willie threw his bag into the front of his truck before climbing in and tearing off down the dirt path, a cloud of dust furiously billowing behind him in his wake.

'_Damn her'_ he thought. _'I gave her everything, yet she repaid all my efforts by gettin' all cozy with Barnabas. I'll show her…I'll show them all! I'll go ta New York an' make a name for myself, an' then I'll bet she'll wish she'd a' stayed with me!'_

In accordance with these volatile thoughts, Willie couldn't help but slam on the accelerator; the sooner he got to the train station, the better.

Adjusting one of the knobs on his radio (which didn't even work half the time), Willie raised his gaze just in time to see a woman in the middle of the road… _Angelique!_

Amidst his panicked state, he accidentally over-corrected the drifting vehicle, the old truck giving an argumentative shudder before colliding head-on into a nearby oak tree with a tremendous crash.

The force of the impact left Willie with a feeling as if he were suspended in time, a sharp cry escaping his lips as a searing pain exploded in his body and traveled throughout his limbs. Sending a weakened glance over toward the road, Willie reached to undo the twisted belt about his waist just as the sound of chilling laughter filled the air.

Amidst his weakened attempts to free himself, Willie's head dropped forward as his body forced him to enter the frightening world of unconsciousness.


	8. Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever

**CH 8: Goodbye Doesn't Mean Forever**

Maggie was leafing through a magazine when the knock came at the door, her eyes not even lifting from the fine print as she listened to Carolyn greet the caller. At first the blonde was bright and chipper, yet after a bit of soft murmuring, the foyer fell completely silent.

Finally raising her head, Maggie frowned in concern as Carolyn and Sheriff Patterson entered the room akin to that of a funeral procession. Noting Carolyn's terribly wan features, Maggie furrowed her brows before inquiring, "What's wrong, Carolyn? Has something happened to one of the Collinses?"

When all Carolyn could do was shake her head, George solemnly stepped forward before revealing, "Willie Loomis was found unconscious earlier this evening and is now being hospitalized. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Miss Evans, but it would seem that the doctors don't have much hope -- he's in a very deep coma."

"No..." Slowly rising from the settee, Maggie's eyes widened as the magazine slipped noiselessly from her fingers. Trembling, she vigorously shook her head before sobbing, "No, no, you're _lying_ to me! Willie and I had a fight, b-but he just left for a little while..."

"Maggie" Carolyn earnestly began, "I know you're in shock, but you must be reasonable..."

"No, _you_ be reasonable!" Maggie viciously shot back. "Willie is hurt, yet you're behaving as though I'm not entitled to show my grief!"

"Oh Maggie, of _course_ you are, I just meant..."

"Take me to him" the redhead urged. "If you do nothing else for me, at the very least drive me to the hospital."

When Carolyn looked to George for guidance he nodded bitterly, his hand extending as he solemnly agreed, "C'mon, then...let's go."

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The walls of Collinsport Hospital were cold and sterile, Maggie giving a shiver at the memories the horrid place held. It was almost as if death were lurking behind every corner, and she truly feared that if she let go of Carolyn's arm, she would be taken alive.

"Miss Evans?"

Maggie immediately looked up, her heart giving a painful throb upon noting the nurse's grim visage. "Y-yes?" she stammered.

"Mr. Loomis' condition has taken a signficant turn for the worse -- I don't mean to alarm you, but he's been kept alive the past few hours by a machine."

Maggie felt her blood run cold. "Then...?"

"Yes" the nurse grimly revealed, "I'm afraid there is nothing more we can do. Seeing as to how he has no family, I'm leaving the decision on what's to be done to you."

Paling, Maggie swayed about until Carolyn caught ahold of her, the governess' lips quivering as she breathlessly entreated, "Then...he's in a lot of pain?"

"Not tremendously, no -- he's in a coma" the nurse patiently reminded her. "Mr. Loomis has a very slim chance of pulling through since his organs are failing, so I'd highly recommend letting us pull the plug."

Placing a hand over her mouth, Maggie tearfully nodded before whispering, "If it will bring him peace, please do so, but at the very least let me say goodbye to him. He's very dear to me."

"Of course" the nurse sympathetically agreed, "take as much time as you need, Miss Evans."

As Maggie turned to enter Willie's room, Carolyn caught ahold of her arm, the blonde's eyes sparkling with tears as she assured her, "If you need anything, I'll be right here, Maggie. Please don't feel obligated to shorten your time because of me -- I don't mind waiting."

Maggie gave her a soft smile, but it was short-lived. "Thank you, Carolyn" she whispered. "You're a true friend."

Having said all she could muster, Maggie then turned the knob to room G25 and shakily crossed the threshold. The sight that greeted her caused her to cringe, hot tears streaming down her cheeks as she gazed upon Willie's prostrate form. Several tubes protruded from his sallow skin like snakes, and the breathing mask upon his face prevented her from gazing upon his countenance in its entirety. Unfortunately, what she could see made her cringe, for the purple bruises beneath his eyes and the blood-encrusted cuts filled her with a pain far greater than any she'd ever experienced. She could've been there for him like a true lover, but instead she'd turn him away.

"Oh, Willie..."

Gingerly pulling up a chair, Maggie sat down before him and took his hand in hers. To her horror it was cold to the touch, her eyes squeezing shut as her fingers interlaced with the hand that had guided her through the darkest of her days. She loved him very deeply, but it pained her to realize that he'd entered the coma hating her.

"Oh, Willie" she began yet again, "can you hear me? If you can, I...I'm sorry. Sorrier than you can imagine." With tears pooling along her lashes, she scooted closer so that she could touch his face. Brushing back the hair that had fallen across his eyes, she leaned forward and kissed his bruised forehead. As she did so she half expected him to awaken, but when he did not her heart throbbed along with the reality of the situation. She was going to lose him, and for what? The repercussions of some petty argument?

Bursting into tears, Maggie embraced her fallen lover before burying her face against his chest, his dull heartbeat failing to assuage her fears as she moaned, "I'm sorry, Willie...oh God, I really am! If I could just get you to understand, you'd realize how much I love you...how much I _need_ you! Why do you have to give up on me when we both have so much to live for?"

Clutching at the fabric of Willie's hospital gown, she slowly raised her gaze to his face before beginning to tremble, her head shaking as she sustained, "Don't you know I want to be your wife? Over the past few months you've been my only friend...my only confidant, and you should know that our fight could never change my feelings for you. Your outburst hurt me very deeply, yes, but I think I can understand your anger..." With these words, she gingerly touched the scarf around her neck, her eyes softening as she rose so that she was sitting alongside him. Lifting the breathing mask from Willie's bruised and bloodied face, she lightly caressed his cheek before whispering a hushed "Forgive me", her lips gently pressing against his as she suddenly realized it was the last kiss they'd ever share. Placing the mask back to its rightful position, she took his hand in hers and brought it fondly to her lips before giving a tearful smile. "Goodbye, sweetheart..."

With trembling limbs, she rose from the bed and flicked the power switch to the breathing machine, the fading whir of the mechanism seeming to be almost deafening as she was greeted by an overwhelming silence. At long last, he would finally be free...

FIVE WEEKS LATER

"Damn, wouldja look at this?"

"What is it?" Jeff demanded, a cigarette dangling from his lips as he peered at the paper in his friend's hand. "Another poor sap get attacked by that animal, or somethin'?"

"More or less" Scott grimly agreed. "It seems that Evans girls was killed last night...she was a few months pregnant, too."

"No shit? Now _that's_ a shame right there..."

"Yeah" Scott dolefully agreed, "a damn big shame. She was a good kid..."

As the two men bantered on, a lone blonde continued to listen to their conversation with a heavy heart. Carolyn missed Maggie very much, for she had been her best friend ever since Victoria left Collinwood; to hear that she'd been brutally murdered made her incredibly depressed.

Running her hand along the necklace that Maggie had bequeathed to her, she rolled her eyes skyward as she felt her lip begin to tremble.

_'It'll be alright'_ she uneasily assured herself. _'Willie and Maggie are together again, and I know he's taking good care of her.'_

With a small smile at this thought, Carolyn gathered her things and rose from the table. She still had to pay her respects at the viewing.

**A/N:** Worst...ending...EVER. lol Sorry about this, but I was SO sick of this story and just wanted it to be over and done with. I can't believe I was able to write the last chapter at all, considering how bad my writer's block was. I tried to make it sad, but meh...key word obviously being 'tried'. :-P Thanks for sticking with me and reading, though! ;)


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